Sacrificial Love
by hibiki red
Summary: Ryoga Hibiki has always lived under the pretense he is the most troubled teenager in the world. He could be, but than again Ranma, and Akane have problems of their own just as strong as the lost boy. He decides to swear an oath now, but what will it take for that promise to be delivered?
1. Chapter 1

This story describes an alternate outcome in the lives of Ranma 1/2. The characters and plot devices belong to Rumiko Takahashi and do not reflect anything made but by her. There is a very sensitive situation discussed about cancer which I relate and feel comfortable to write as well.

Sacrificial Love

"Damn it all!. . .Why in the world did I say yes. . .What is wrong with me!" Yelled the teenage boy to no one in particular just as several jeeps chased him among the wilderness of the land.

A few days ago Ryoga Hibiki met wonderful indigenous people struggling to survive in a place he believed to be Russia despite the lack of snow. Wrong. The boy had been on the road for the longest time all thanks to certain nightmares hunting his dreams and keeping him distracted from where he wanted to go.

The elder told him he knew of a way to stop the demons hunting his mind, but in exchange, he begged him to rescue their idol from the local tyrants. Then, after being led into the jungle, the boy managed to find a place filled with old traps and poisonous beasts ready to kill him.

"Looks more like on of those temples I've been before minus those sounds of an engine and the light bulbs." Wondered the teen as soon as he saw a power generator giving life to the mushy and damp landscape.

Everything went easy enough at the beginning, specially when you are able to turn a giant rolling boulder into tiny pebbles, or break the walls through instead of walking in the middle of a rain made of venomous arrows. Yes, the hero in this adventure had the statue safe in his hands and the only step remaining was not to get lost in his way back.

That is until he met "them." The group of diamond hunters keeping a tight operation firmly hidden away from prying eyes. "E-Excuse me. . .Do you know if this is the right path to the village?" Asked Ryoga somehow confused by the machine-guns and the rough looking men closely guarding the area.

"I don't know what are you doing here boy, but by the looks of it you found better loot than us. . .Hand it over!" Demanded the guy who looked like the one in charge when Ryoga had on his hands the idol filled with incrusted gems of all kinds.

And now here we are, back in the present. Ryoga could have tried fighting them, but he knew in a few more minutes his path would take him away from this area, and he needed to deliver the statue before that could happen.

Now, arrows and boulders were one thing, but to avoid several thugs shooting high caliber bullets was something a bit more dangerous, and even if he could avoid them at any given moment, the boy knew retaliation was a method mercenaries loved to punish the innocent. . .In this case, the village.

"Damn it!' Exclaimed once again just before the wild ended at the edge of a deep cliff. "Give it up boy!. . .There is nowhere for you to go, and that piece is worth more than your life, so hand it over." Said the boss while the others started to surround any other escape route.

The lost boy kept thinking on dropping it, but he knew the men would try to kill him anyway, and a promise was something he never broke before, reinforcing the need to not start now. "Sorry, but I must do what my heart tells me. . .Goodbye!" Ryoga jumped off the cliff, gaining speed faster and faster into the chasm far below with no chance to survive, but looking in the distance how his pursuers desisted.

Neither of the men dared follow or even chase around the chasm knowing most villages were close to that region. "have it your way kid. . .Sooner or later that treasure will be dragged by the current anyway. Then, only your carcass will be holding what belongs to me!" They left him to his luck, without a care on the world about who he was or why was he even there.

Close to the ground, a boy plummeted to his death with no apparent option for survival, or so it looked until he focused in the girl of his dreams. "_Akane-san, it looks like this is it for me. . .I hope that bastard follow his heart and marry you. Otherwise I'll come back from the death and beat him up personally_. . ."

His thoughts? A promise he did before leaving them for good all those months ago. Ryoga had arrived accidentally to the wedding between his platonic love and his greatest rival, and even though he decided to stop pursuing Akane, he vowed to protect her from anything and promised he would try to let her marry the one she loved. . .Which was Ranma Saotome.

As time passed, his heart was healed, and when everything was said and done, the eternal lost boy admitted his friendship with Ranma was the healthiest of therapies he could use to keep a balance between his uncontrolled anger and negative depression.

"_Ranma. . .I guess you'll always defeat me one way or another, but I accept it. You are my best friend and for that. . .I thank you_." His farewells were done, leaving no regret left behind as the shallow river closed in on his soon to be dead body.

The mention of the pigtailed boy suddenly caused the memory of those dreams to storm into his head, forcing a chuckle of irony when all he really wanted was to love someone special before dying. "Damn. . .To die thinking on him as a friend was a stretch, but to leave this world looking at his curse at my side is just wrong!"

A tear left his eye when he smiled at his spent life. No girl existed thanks to his lack of direction, not to mention his stupid shyness. His parents lost by the same illness, and the only two important people in his life, unaware of what was about to happen.

That made him cringe in pain. . .A pain so sharp, his chest hurt bad. Streams of tears filled his vision and in that fraction of a second the boy smiled defeated by his incompetence as a normal human being. Oddly enough though something happened that altered the perception of his existence.

By all accounts he was supposed to die right there and then, but a feeling swelling deep in his heart whispered this wasn't over. Ryoga could not understand what was happening but something unreal turned the tide towards the most amazing miracle.

There was no more whooshing sounds of air passing through the sides of his head, but the loud crashing of waters forcing him to open his eyes and stare at a cascade. "Wha!. . .?" That's all he could say when he turned to see the highest cliff looking down at him from above and, on the next second, he rested comfortably right besides the base of the waterfall staring back on his way down.

"Wasn't I about to hit my head on the river?" Asked again Ryoga to no one else. "Oh but you were strange one. . .I saw you vanish from sight and appear right there a second later. How did you do it?" Asked the elder with puzzled eyes at the same time the boy delivered his precious god in one piece.

Ryoga gave the idol to the old man, explaining how he sometimes vanishes from one point and pops several thousands of miles away on another when his mind is occupied by grief or worry. "That's how I travel old man but. . .I don't know how it works. I had never done something like this in my life."

"Ah!. . .Then you must come with me and see what is troubling you." Enticed the elder as he grabbed his hand, pulling Ryoga among bushes and wild life until both walked right into the hidden village. "There is some strong magic in you, that I feel deep in my chest strange one, but there is something else you want to understand. . .tell me."

They finally arrived to his hut. The place looked too dark for Ryoga's taste, but after accepting a plate of soup he found amazingly delicious, he started to open up to the man. "I. . .I don't know how to explain this old man."

"I have two very good friends who always look out for me. One, I fell in love long ago, or so I thought until that feeling began to turn into the greatest of friendships. The second I recently accepted him as a friend and I know they are meant to be together. My problem is. . ."

Ryoga choked up nervously when the same nightmares kept pressing the biggest of headaches he cold barely withstand. "I. . ." But there was nothing more he could say. Ryoga refused to even acknowledge such stupidities.

"You want to know why do you dream about "him" as your wife and mother of your children?" The sound itself was beyond preposterous, but it hurt to hear it that way when the nightmares pointed in that direction at some point in his life.

With a fake sense of fear, Ryoga's mouth hanged open, surprised to hear the insane declaration the old man came up with. "B-But that's just it!. . .I know he has a curse that turns him into a girl, but I have no feelings for "her" or him at all. . .I just barely started to see him as a friend. . .An acquaintance at the most!"

The elder laughed out loud by the sheer feeling of fear in the boy's eyes, noting this was something he could not understand now, but he needed to, at least for the future coming his way. With a humming tone and his closed eyes, the tribal Wiseman threw his seven bones into the air, watching as they took different shapes and landed in the curious of ways on the sand.

"Mm. . .I see. I'm sorry young man, but I cannot change those dreams because they are real. You do not love your friend like that. . ."Now". . .But some time in your future, a strange one will be a happy man in love with a happy woman."

Ryoga blinked several times trying to decipher the riddle, but nothing more than a more painful headache made the boy snarl madly and forget what the old man said. "Whatever man. I do not love him and I never will. . .I'm getting some sleep here tonight, but as soon as I walk a few steps, we won't see each other ever again. . .Good night."

After the childish tantrum, Ryoga took a well deserved nap. His dreams were calm and related to about powerful techniques and the privilege of showers done in cold water. When he thought nothing would rob him of his heavenly sleep, that's when it happened again.

"N-No. . .S-Stop it. . ." Grunted the boy as his mind saw an old Ryoga Hibiki laughing and playing with a boy while Ranma in female form prepared some type of breakfast on the kitchen. "_Hey you two idiots!. . .Are we eatin' heavy or just the essential before going to the beach_?"

"_Whatever you want honey. . .I think Ranryu and I would go for the normal plates honey. . .I know you'll pretty much eat the rest and even assault a few stalls by the shore_." Said the older Ryoga with a tinge of innocent spite in his words.

"_Oh honey, you sure know me so well. . .Light breakfast comin' up_!" That was pretty much all the conversation Ryoga could withstand before the boy exploded from his sleeping bag completely soaked in sweat and heavily breathing out of his mouth.

"Why!. . .Why am I thinking in "him" of all people!" Screamed the boy so confused he preferred to stop sleeping altogether and rest by the fire, contemplating how the flames took away the rest of his sanity. Tears began to run again, this time they were bitter and sad tears of loneliness and fear.

"Am I that desperate?. . .I mean, she is cute and every time he plays those damn tricks, it makes me feel so loved. I shouldn't be thinking like this, but I got no one. . .I am so pathetic." Was the last degrading declaration he mustered before falling asleep exhausted, instead of wanting to sleep and remember the nightmares coming back.

"Do you think he has a chance husband?" Asked the oldest of women in the village to the wise-man studying the boy. "I don't know dear. He loves her, but he is not "him". . .Well, you know how all this magic works so, we better wish him luck and pass his case to his village's Elder."

The old couple decided to let the boy rest, doing the same themselves after the woman covered Ryoga back with a blanket. "Poor child. Alone in this world is something I wish to no man." The teen felt her wish comforting, tugging a tiny smile her way as a thanks for her good heart. "Sleep little one, someday luck will shine your path."

After a few hours the day came to the land, bathing its light and filling the air with the fragrance made of hope. Ryoga was surprised by all the kids in the village when they ran into the hut unattended by the grown ups which was a big change in his lonely life. Boys and girls playing in the nearby lake while a small group made of little children played and scrubbed clean a tiny piglet they adored the moment they saw the transformation.

The elders and strong men in the place noted how cheerful Ryoga was around the young, forgetting sadness and pain in favor to enjoy a social event, rare for someone like him. Breakfast was a blast as well, and after the several families thanked him for the rescue of the idol, the old wise man offered him a chest filled with gems of all kinds and several artifacts lying around.

"This is your reward young one. We do not care for such treasure, but our hunters find them anyway and bring them as novelties. . .Chose as you see fit." Said the old man with wonderment in his eyes. Ryoga saw how everything sparkled before his eyes.

There were giant gems the size of his fist, rare coins and even diamonds much bigger than the ones he saw from the black-market traders a few days ago. When he decided to take something nice, he noticed a locket and a red gem. Both beautiful crafted, but one made with nothing more than fancy glass, and the other had such crystalline sparkling unlike other pieces.

"Can I take those two?" Asked Ryoga mesmerized by the crafting detail. "Oh!. . .You have keen eye my young friend. That belonged to one of our most powerful warriors long ago. He already died and that locket belongs to his loved one. I'm afraid they never had a family of their own, but I'm sure they'd be proud for you to have it."

"The gem although beautiful and exotic, was created by an elder who loved giving shape with spiritual means. Take them. . .Take them and used them according to the wishes in your heart young man, just remember. The true gift lies deep within your mind."

Ryoga immediately took the locket and the red gem, admiring their beauty but ready to use them as gifts. "The locket has to look amazing as a wedding gift, and I'm sure the stone can work perfectly as the ring. . .Stupid Ranma better appreciate me as his best man or else."

"Thanks old man, I really appreciate it. Well. . .I think is time for me to leave now." The teen was about to walk away when the older man held him from the shoulder, whispering something Ryoga found strange.

"Young man. I do not know how to help with your dreams, but I believe Cologne can help you. . .She is the official wise woman in your village and she is as capable as me. Here, give this to her and she'll know of you."

Ryoga received a stick tied with a red string and three leaves hanging from it. It didn't look that amazing or mystical, but that must be something old people might think from each other, he thought. "S-Sure old man. . .I'll give her this whenever I see the old ghoul. . .Thank you."

Before the amazed eyes of the village and the gasping sounds from the children, the eternal lost boy managed to walk a few steps before vanishing in thin air without even knowing it. When Ryoga took a deep breath hoping the tears wouldn't betray him, he turned around donning a big smile with hoping to bid farewell at his new friends, but it was too late when he saw nothing behind but sand.

"Damn!. . .I can't believe I can get lost so easily.!" With his fists balled and a nerve popping from his face, the teen screamed into the sky knowing no one would answer his pleads anyway. "Now. . .Where in the hell am I!" Nothing much was left, but to begin his eternal quest to find the cure for his curse, and somehow resolve the issues destroying the last sanity in his newly acquired family.

Still, the perturbing memory lingered in his mind. Ranma as a middle aged woman in love with him was something only an insane person would dream. Ryoga feared at this point a confrontation with the pigtailed boy believing how dishonorable it could be to think that way about his friend and specially when Akane was about to marry him.

"I'm sure I'll meet him sooner or later and I don't want that. . .Not when I see him like that. I need to stay away from Ranma until I can find a way to suppress those damn dreams, but I must see the old ghoul. . .She must know what should I do."

Ryoga kept thinking about his problems without paying attention where he went. There were no constant steps when treading on the deserted areas but more like a skipping of terrain and when his worries turned into a bunch of distracting thoughts, that was the formula for his lack of direction.

He decided for the fist time to experiment with his latest technique, starting by talking himself into calming his train of thoughts and understand where he was at all times. "Ok. . .Focus this time. Think on Cologne and don't let go of it. . ."

He kept repeating the same word again and again, firmly stepping ahead as his feet started to feel lighter and lighter, and moving more by instinct than with a purpose. When he stopped focusing on her name, he noticed there was no more hot wind or dry sand hitting his face, but a rather strange clicking he could not put his finger on.

"It sounds like. . .wheels?. . .Wheels of some type maybe?" Ryoga swallowed dryly one more time before he dared to take a peek. When he opened one eye, there she was. . .Shampoo pedaling at full speed and unable to stop when the lost boy popped unannounced out of no where.

CRASH!. . .Came the sound of her trusty bicycle stomping the lost boy under the wheels. "Stupid lost boy come from no where. . .Move!. . .Shampoo need to deliver ramen to Airen. . ." The teen slid right off her obstacle, and before he could say something else, the girl sped down the street with no wish to stop any time soon.

"Wait!. . .I need you to take me to see the old ghoul!" But there was no response from the Chinese girl. "Man. . .At this rate I will never find the. . ." Said Ryoga just before he turned around and saw the Nekohanten sign staring back at him mere two feet away.

"Wow!. . .I'm really getting the hang of this. . .!" With forced steps, the boy still hoped to get into the restaurant instead of getting lost before going in. When he did so, inside was the elder Amazon serving bowls and plates as the boy walked near a table with hopes to meet the busy woman.

"If you're here for food you need to pay boy. . .Do you ha have any money?" Asked Cologne a bit pushy when she knew the teen always became lost and broke at the same time. "I. . .I. . ." Ryoga looked everywhere except his pack. His shyness always took the best of him, and forgetting the gems and precious things inside was a common occurrence he had all the time. "S-Sorry Cologne Sensei. . .I only have fifteen yen with me." inquired nervously when he emptied the pockets from his pants in front of the elder.

With an exasperated sigh, the woman admitted his lack of direction was something hard to circumvent and so her heart soften by the way he was full of smudges and dirt. Her trusty staff flew from one side of the room to the next, carrying a big bowl of steaming ramen well balanced on the tip.

"Fine Ryoga. . .I'm serving you this time, but only one bowl you hear?" The teen bobbed immediately, accepting the scrumptious food which lasted no more the a few seconds. "My, my. . .Where have you been this time. . .Trapped in some mine or concentration camp?"

The older woman skipped on her staff, laughing goodheartedly when something called her attention back at the boy. Among the coins she procured, the stick carefully crafted lied on the table, completely ignored when the boy was busier cleaning the bowl with a finger.

"Tell me son. . .Where did you get that?" Ryoga saw the stick as well, saying how he helped an old man and a village from some men trying to steal his idol and that was some type of reward he was suppose to give to her.

"I see. . .Well, let's take a look shall we?" The Elder barely touched the strange made object when all the nightmares and depressive dreams affecting Ryoga came crashing into her mind. Cologne saw the old man explaining about what he felt for the redhead and how his power to move through matter and time was more than what he gave credit for.

After the fulminating amount of facts all contained at once poured in, she fell on one of the chairs exhausted by a technique long unused. She saw how the fanged teen took a deep breath satisfied by the food trying to fake no other concern with his journey in the hidden village. "Thanks a lot Cologne-sama. . .I really appreciate you help." The boy stood up, bowed respectfully and prepared to leave when his shame as a worthless person made him apologize for his rude entrance.

"I know I'm a pest, and I promise I won't take more of your time. . .Besides, I need to leave this place as soon as possible." Informed a bit spooked by the fear to meet certain pigtailed menace. Before he could leave though his muscles tensed and he wasn't able to move when the woman chuckled with his demeanor and the secret he tried to hide so carefully, came out bursting by itself.

"Why is that son. . .Is it maybe so you won't see Ranma. . .The love of your life?" Ryoga spun around, falling on his knees and begging at the woman not to say anything about it. "I swear Cologne-san, I don't love him!. . .It's just these dreams I can't get off my mind. . .Please, if there is a way you can help me, I beg you. . .Help me!"

The Elder noted how the boy was so desperate and out of his wits, this was something eating him alive for the longest time. "I will Ryoga. . .After all, I taught you secret Amazon techniques and you are like a dear student to me. From now on we'll be more closely training those strange skills of yours, and in the meantime I'll instruct Shampoo and Mousse to work with that little problem. . .C'mon, there is a place you can stay back by the kitchen."

From that moment on Cologne and Shampoo became constant guards for the boy who seemed so confused with how life was treating him. Mousse on the other hand was always the conniving young man ready to use any means necessary to restore the love Shampoo had for him.

With his sneaky moves and despite his near-sighed vision, the boy who turned into a duck managed to serve the food at the restaurant and at the same time eavesdrop on the conversations of others. "I tell you Cologne!. . .In my dreams I am really old and Ranma is my wife. . .I could choke up to a simple dream, but is so real and it won't leave me away!"

Mousse found the information important and convenient, and after a while hiding behind an annoyed Shampoo thinking it was the decorative statue, the surprise came when a splash of water and a kick sent a duck flying away from the place. "Stupid Mousse. . .Leave grandma and Ryoga alone. . .!"

After the incident Cologne knew this would get out of hand, taking the confused teen away and into a shed she always kept for these cases outside town. "Stay here and keep practicing son. I've been working on this tiny house for some time so, enjoy it and I'll see you in the morning.

Ryoga thanked her for the help but afraid to disappear like previous occasions, the boy used a rope to stay glued at the area at all times, and that way being worry free from his stupid sense of direction. "I'll be here Cologne. . .Thank you."

* * *

Back on the Dojo, things became a lot differently than what the lost boy last saw. Ranma and Akane felt somehow alone when Ryoga stopped hanging around the house, and by then, almost seven months had passed since his last visit. The youngest Tendo found very disturbing not being able to see P-Chan anywhere either, forcing her way of thinking into compare two of the closest beings in her life as a possible one being. Thankfully something else had her mind occupied most of the time these and the only one capable to find out what bothered her was in more trouble than what most people realized.

One of those days were you would see both teens fighting and getting ready to go to school early, it did not happen like that. Nabiki and Kasumi had their suspicions for the longest time about her sister, but Ranma was a case no one in Nerima knew with the exception of the local doctor.

This time around the middle Tendo managed to follow Ranma through the streets of the town, noticing he wasn't going to school at all, but at the clinic dr. Tofu owned which was in the way. The ice queen waited patiently when both, the pigtailed boy and the doctor would go in, and after a few minutes later an angered Ranma would bust out of the clinic cursing and ready to kill anyone crossing his path.

"That's weird. . .Usually he goes in there when someone splashes him into his curse, but he keeps going in and out as a male. . .I need to find out what's going on with him." Said the girl as she too, dashed out with the intention to not be late.

School always brought about the same dealings for either Akane and Ranma, but their minds were elsewhere. The Saotome heir enjoyed most days completely lost bird-watching through the window or holding buckets of water, while the girl quietly talked with her friends or stayed out of trouble.

At the end of classes, all the students were glad to leave for the day. Ranma specially more than the others. He would try and goad his fiancée if nothing else, but snap her out of her trance wasn't an easy chore any longer. Akane would simply ignore his taunts and would leave with her several girlfriends out of the busy place with the idea to take a stroll back home. . .Preferably alone at the end of the walk.

"Fine tomboy!. . .Have it your way." Responded daringly the pigtailed teen while jumping on the fence and leaving the girl with her own thoughts. That was the precise moment Akane used to rush into the clinic and had her own secret appointment with the doctor.

"Dr. Tofu!. . .I'm here like you asked." The teenage girl always had a special bond with the older boy. A crush of sorts she developed for the longest time, but knew he was in love with her older sister and at some point, she too corresponded the same feeling back.

"Thank you Akane-Chan. Please, let me take a look at you and afterwards we can discuss about a diagnosis that's been bothering me for the longest time." Akane sat on the medical bed obediently, noting how professional Ono was with his patients which gave her a sense of peace after the last check up.

The pigtailed teen realized his friends were scattered by now, but even if they were with him, his secret screamed on their faces the shame he had been hiding for so long. It started much early than he remembered, and when he noticed the subtle details slowly taking over his mind, he felt only one man would know the answers to this strange new development.

"Oh!. . .You foul sorcerer!, what haft thy done with my precious tea-kettle girl!. I have waited interminable days in hope to profess my unquenchable love and all that besieges me is thy foul self. . .Prepare to meet your doom you miscreant!"

Oh no, thought the Saotome heir. If there was one person in the whole universe he wouldn't want to see now, that would be Kuno and his demented speech disability. "Damn it man!. . .I got nothin' ta do with the tea-kettle girl an' even if I did, she don' like you!"

His wooden sword came into play, weapon so easy to avoid for the boy but annoying as hell when his blinding attacks would hit something else besides him. As a matter of fact it did, and too late Ranma realized the contained rainwater on top of a roof came easily undone when that idiotic boy hit the wall, forcing the stuck body to be released on top of an unsuspecting Ranma.

Splash!. . .Came the transformation causing all the tragedies surrounding this redheaded girl. "Oh, my tea-kettle girl. . .How long haft I waited to feel your candid body and the warmth of your love, cometh at me, reward me with the sweet fruit of ecstasy!"

Again, Ranma sneered in place when water played a part she despised the most, screwing every situation she was in and unable to control those around. The hug came so fast and furious, the redhead tensed completely and her teeth clenched so tight, her brain froze, unable to react for several seconds.

When she did understood what was going on, Kuno already had gone to town, leaving his hands all over her heaving breasts and giving the girl no other option but to turn around and kick him into the air. "Damn it!. . .Why the breasts!. . .It's always up here an' I. . .Hate that so. . .Much!"

After scrubbing her arms and upper torso copious times, the redhead walked angry away, forgetting any other place but home where she could change back to his regular self. "I swear. If I'm in hell by this stupid problem now, being touched like that is just beyond disgusting. . ."

A few feet away, a confused Kuno sat on the landing street he arrived from his beloved's kick. He kept asking to himself why would she reject such example of manliness, luckily for the first time in his life, someone else heed his call.

"Kuno-honey. . .I think is time for you and I to have a long and hard talk about Ranma-kun but. . .This is going to cost you dearly after I explain his unique situation." The business starving teen grabbed his arm, leading him to a restaurant where they could discuss the secret eluding Tatewaki for a long time.

When Ranma found no other opponent he could mess with his mentally weak state, his eyes took him to the Nekohanten where surely Shampoo would be fun to play with and who knows, even get something to eat free along the way.

The shortest of girls in Nerima cautiously stepped into the restaurant, hoping she wouldn't alert its customers like every other day when a sensuous Shampoo loved to touched her some more as a girl and ignoring the perverted looks from old men.

That's when they met after almost eight months from not seeing each other. Ranma arrived near the restaurant when Ryoga was eating happily inside. He looked a lot happier and at ease while Akane and him wondered where in the hell he'd been. "Well. . .We are all waitin' for that idiot an' he don' even comes to the Dojo anymore. . .This time he's hearin' me whether he wants it or not. . ."

Ranma promptly ran into the restaurant before anyone could do a thing. There was a light thumping in the pigtailed teen's chest, something she didn't know why, but decided to leave the effect for what Kuno did earlier and maybe to the problem he'd been treating with the doctor recently, the point was that he needed to get a hold of himself and act as tough as always.

"There you are you jerk!. . .When are you goin' ta come home an' see 'kane!. . .She's been worried sick you know "P-Chan". . .?" The loud burst of words made Ryoga freeze in place, unable to move or react but his eyes stayed glued to those big blue ones staring defiantly back at him.

"Ah. . .I. . .I" Ryoga really tried to stay focused, but the dreams were coming back into his mind and as soon as Shampoo entered from the kitchen, the boy used that moment to jump out of the window without saying nothing else.

"Hey you jerk!. . .Where in the hell are you goin'. . .!" Ranma went right behind only to be stopped at the door by Cologne and hugged by the Chinese girl from the back. "hey!. . .What are you doing. I need to talk with that moron!"

"Sorry son-in-law, but Ryoga is indisposed at the moment, and there is no way you can see him ever. Please, stay and I'll get you something to eat." The pigtailed teen found the offer strange, but he never refused a free meal before and he wasn't about to start now. . .Besides, it wasn't like he would miss him again now that he was in town.

"Sure old ghoul. . .Keep 'em comin'. . ." Cologne regretted the idea, but Ryoga wasn't ready at all and the skill he had developed was something more important for the Amazons than the stalling marriage between Ranma and her great granddaughter.

"Here, eat as much as you want son." After she left Shampoo serving the boy. The older woman hopped away out of town, meeting Ryoga in the place destined in case of such incidents. "Good Ryoga. . .You were able to get here without getting lost, now. . .Stay close by and I'll let you know when Ranma leaves. I'm sure he won't comeback until he gets bored from school or his other friends."

The lost boy accepted her help, letting the elder go back to the restaurant while he stayed there with his tent and portable fire. "I can believe I'm hiding from that idiot, but I can't face him. I need to stay away from Akane-san and Ranma until I can get a hold of these stupid dreams."

On the Chinese restaurant, the atmosphere started to feel heavy for the pigtailed boy when Shampoo loved to climb all over the boy with all manner of hugs. "Shampoo!. . .Get off of that idiot!. Don't you know how much I love you?" Asked Mousse on his knees right in front of the big plant decorating the restaurant.

"Mousse too blind. . .Shampoo no love duck, Airen here to take Shampoo on date. . .Shoo!" At this point Ranma found the place annoying so, after some arguing with the blind boy and a masterful escape from the girl's arms, the pigtailed teen lunged away full and satisfied.

"Gee. . .Can' these guys ever understand I'm already engaged. Then again, is nice ta mess with Shampoo when there's nothin' else around. . .I should see how's Akane after the silent treatment she gave me all week."

The boy left the place immediately, skipping roof after roof until he managed to see his girl sneak into Tofu's clinic. With puzzled eyes he veered close the place, waiting on the corner to see if there was something missing besides his own personal problem.

"Dr. Tofu. . .Were you able to find more about "that". . .?" Asked the girl preoccupied with the past result. "Akane-Chan. I don't know how this happened after all the tests I ran over the years. You see, my father had the honor to attend your mother when she contracted a serious type of cancer."

"The illness was so fulminating, it appeared out of nowhere and before he could do something, well. . .It had been too late. After he moved on and I kept his place, I made a deal with your father to keep you and your sisters safe and healthy, but although Nabiki and K-Kasumi are fine, it seems you are beginning to contract the same pattern."

Akane gasped nervously, thinking how her father explained the speed and toughness that special strand of cancer acted on her mother all those years ago, and now. . .After so many adventures and even a failed wedding, the same illness reared its ugly head after so long.

"I-Is there anything you can do Dr. Tofu?" The reflection of light through her eyes made the fear and anguish look so painful, but when the man in glasses shook his head, the girl plummeted on a chair, those same orbs dying of any light or color by the hopeless response.

"Ever since your mom developed the sickness, there hasn't been many cases like hers. I'm afraid this is a hereditary problem and there is little to no data about it. Please Akane, go with your father and tell him I will convene with other colleagues about this. . .Tell him, I'm doing everything I can to solve this before. . ."

His last words were lost in the conversation, omitted by the Dr. who was afraid to either give up or made the girl feel worse than she already was. "One more thing. . .Talk with Ranma as well. He has very pressing problems of his own and you two need to clear things up before the regular treatments begin."

After the required blood samples and the regular physical was taken again, the girl bowed respectfully before the man, leaving the clinic with the same sad demeanor she had come earlier. "Hey!. . .Is everythin' alright 'kane?" Asked the boy with a legitimate concern he used only a handful of few times with the girl.

Akane tried to act smug and careless like she'd been doing all week, but this was it. . .The last time she had left from enjoying the possibility of a real life. The youngest Tendo found no words to share when her tears engulfed her vision and the desperate need for comfort moved her feet towards his arms, not caring who saw them together.

"Whoa!" Yelp Ranma when he accepted the distressed girl in his arms. Something was really wrong and this was no time to joke or even open his mouth recklessly. "O-Ok. . .Tell me what's troubling you an' I'll tell ya my story. . ." Said with a big blush on his face before both started to walk in direction to a deserted the park.

"Ranma. . .I know I've been a bit stubborn since we've met. I had my reasons or so I thought, but to be honest, I think we need to deal with what we want now, before it's too late. There may not be much time left later on. . ." That comment alone alarmed the pigtailed boy in extreme. He decided to let her talk before he could say anything about his own medical results.

When they arrived to the park, at those hours not many people liked to walk, being the sun still high on the sky, but they found the place cozy enough and the bench near the fountain made the perfect place with the breeze coming from the wind and the splashing water.

The girl sat first, letting the boy sit next and when her eyes couldn't hold the tears anymore she fell on his chest with the pain clearly marked in her tired face. "Ranma. . .I'm dying. . ." Was the blunt and direct way she could find to tell him straight.

"W-What makes you say that?. . .I've never seen you so strong an' energetic like now." Ranma was making an effort trying not to start with a stupid taunt or saying the opposite with the hope to make her mad purposely, all with the idea to snap her out of the sad trance.

"There is a family illness that skips members every other generation. Dad told me my great grandmother had it until the day she died, and so my mom was the only one from all her brothers and sisters. This is some type of cancer that appears when the person is barely passing his or her teenage years, but Dr. Tofu told me it's acting up in me at a much earlier stage. . .Right now."

There was nothing Ranma could say. . .Nothing at all to alleviate the pressure and agonizing feelings Akane was going through. He tried several times to cuddle with some trouble, after all, being close to a girl was something he wasn't good at all. But there was one thing he could actually be able to do and that was to avoid telling her about his problem.

"Gee Akane. . .Cheer up, you'll see that will pass up an' it won't do a thing against you." Empty words he knew and so did the girl who chuckled by his failed attempt, but thanked him kindly by saying nothing and staying there, resting on his chest.

"What about you Ranma. . .Dr. Tofu told me I need to talk very seriously with you. Is there something I need to know?" Ranma stammered for a second which made him look more guilty than innocent, but after some stalling, the girl managed to press him into saying what was in his mind.

Ranma swallowed nervously, waiting on the reaction from the girl after he blurted out the maddening illness his own body was going through. He expected an out loud laugh and pointing of fingers, but no. . .Akane acted so mature, letting her arms do the talk by hugging him. . .It sure felt nice around his waist she thought for a moment. "I can't believe we are so screwed up Ranma. To think we almost get married. I'm sure we were meant to be at some point, but now. . .Now, I don't know anymore."

"I know. I fought for the longest time too. I refused the idea to be dragged into something beyond my decision, but now I see no more exit. . .Unless. . ." The word stayed in the air, forcing Akane to move her head and stare puzzled at the boy. "Unless?" Asked the girl again.

"Well. What if we got married. . .You know. Maybe not tomorrow or next week, but soon. . .I don' know. . .Six months?" Akane crooked a brow, wondering if what the boy said was legitimate and it looked that way, but that would accomplish what? "What would be the point Ranma. . .To be married for a month or so and then single again?. . .I prefer to let you live your life with Ukyo or Shampoo, although there is one more thing I really need before all this gets from bad to worse."

"What is it Akane. . .Tell me what you need an' I'll get it for you" Promised truthfully Ranma with his always prideful ego talking before hand. The girl pulled back some strands of hair, clearing her face before her eyes brimmed with the light of the sun with endearing warmth.

"Ryoga-kun, Ranma. . .I haven't seen him "or" P-Chan in so long and at this point I'm sure they are either together or they are the same." This was it and the boy knew she had finally discovered the secret. "Be honest for once Ranma and tell me. . .They are the same being right?" The boy snapped from the question with a scared look and a tinge of red across his face, hoping not to break what he promised long ago.

There were times when the secret was almost out, but for some reason the lost boy always managed to keep his identity secret. Ranma had many chances as well to turn him in, but honor was the word and despite the fanged teen always acting as his fiancée's pet, at the end of the wedding, he declared his Ranma as the only one for the girl.

"I. . .I. . ." The words got stuck in his throat. The sweat clearly visible on his forehead and after stalling with stuttering babble, the youngest Tendo finally grunted at his indecision. "C'mon Ranma!. . .I'm literally dying here. What's going to take you to tell the truth?"

That pretty much did it. The pigtailed teen closed his eyes, nodded vigorously and opened his big mouth as the last betrayal he hoped never to divulge. "Yes Akane!. . .Ryoga is P-Chan. . .!" Akane could have gone ballistic. Blame him for his indiscretions and even indecency by sleeping at her side, but something more powerful swelled in her heart.

"Look for him Ranma. . .Bring him to me before is too late." Was the only prayer she could muster before falling to pieces at the arms of her beloved fiancé. "Sure 'kane. . .I'll get him even if it kills me. . ." After a while, the park began to fill with all manner of happy people.

Akane decided that wasn't the mood she wanted to be around right now, and after a moment longer she asked her boyfriend to take her home. The couple left just when laughs from children and barking dogs decorating the lively afternoon on the park.

"We're home!" Shouted Ranma when both arrived into the living room. The table was already set, and despite Kasumi and Nabiki waiting close by, the ones arguing about meaningless things were getting off the Shogi board ready to get supper.

"Ranma-kun. . .Akane, what's with the faces?. . .Are you feeling Ok daughter?" Asked Soun a bit worried by the way the teens entered without a fuzz or fighting at all. "Come dad. . .I have some news I need to share with everyone."

At the end of the conversation the Tendo patriarch flew at the arms of his friend, claiming the innocence of his daughter as the ultimate price he wasn't ready to pay. Nabiki and Kasumi felt the news hard as well. The elder of course was the most affected, but the middle one, although strong willed and cold, demonstrated tears for the first time ever.

"How bad is going to be daddy?" Asked Akane after noticing how her sisters were able to see their mother fall all those years ago. "Akane-Chan. . .I. . .I can't say daughter. . .I can't pass through all this again. . ." With sobbing sounds the man walked out of the house, knelt in his favorite spot in front of the water faucet and began his ritual for the safety of her daughter.

"She will be fine. . .I must redeem myself and show my full trust to my girls. . ." Ranma felt inadequate at the moment, unable to either comfort or make the girl feel better until Akane was the one asking with those big, beautiful eyes to stay at her side.

Outside the city, things were getting rather interesting after hours. It was near evening when Cologne massaged the bridge of her nose while a tired lost boy kept panting, hands on his knees and resting by the exertion of strength.

"Again son. . .We need to make sure how the technique works. . ." Said the woman to an almost dead tired boy. "B-But. . .I. . .I tried my best and I can't find a trigger or how to aim the last part!"

"Nonsense son. . .A perfect move like that one must be mastered before you can call it a powerful technique. Now. . .concentrate once again and try." This time Ryoga took a deep breath, positioning his closed fists at both sides of his waist and looking forward.

"Ok, great!. . .Think in me and stay there until I say so." With that last instruction, the old woman jumped away on her staff, disappearing from sight and well hidden among the bushes several miles in the distance.

"Ok. . .I have her in my mind. . .I can get to her. . .Now!" The boy took one single step forward, and noted how everything changed instantly. When he looked around, most people stared at him strangely. Some ran like crazy while others yelled angrily at the ghost appearing out of nowhere.

After a while Ryoga noticed the place and after asking around, the people told him he was in Beijing. "China?. . .I am supposed to be with Cologne!. . .What am I doing wrong. . .?" But there was no point to the question when indeed Cologne and Shampoo walked by him without a care in the world to stop.

"Old ghoul, I made it!. . ." Yelled the boy with enthusiasm when he spotted them walking nearby. When Ryoga ran at the pair, what welcomed him was a bonk on the head with her staff. "Is very impolite to call names at someone you don't even know young man. Now. . .Who are you and why did you call me like that!?"

Ryoga was speechless. He managed to progress with this teleportation technique so far, but even when he moved from place to place before, this time what made him gasp was when he peeked on a newspaper near a stall.

With shaky hands the lost boy grabbed the paper, noting in his broken Chinese the date. "What the. . .This is almost two years old. . .Wait a minute. Are you getting ready to go to Nerima?" That question made Cologne nervous, thinking the boy was some kind of spy, and without any wasted moment she pushed him aside, using the staff to pin him against the wall.

"Tell me again who are you, young one. . ." Her staff started to flare with Chi, fact that made Ryoga nervous and afraid to explain his ability. "I. . ." But before he could talk, the teen darted out of the situation only to step once on the street and the next near the tent, back home.

"Ryoga!. . .I've been waiting for you to pop on the other side of the forest. . .Where did you go?" The boy tried to collect his thoughts, running into the tent where warm tea awaited him and was able to calm his nerves.

"I saw you Cologne-san. . .We met for a few minutes but when I realized it, I saw you and Shampoo in the middle of Beijing almost two years ago. . .You didn't even recognized me though." The memory suddenly became clear, somehow inserted in the elder's mind who was able to remember it the second he mentioned it.

"I see. . .I remember you now, but for some strange reason I didn't before. This is a marvelous power for you to have son. . .We need to tap into it and understand it so you can fix you lack of direction once and for all."

After the training was done, the old woman left the tent, asking Ryoga to stay put until the next day when they could advance on the training some more. Thankfully enough, Ryoga was too tired to dream anything that night. . .A calm and peaceful sleep over was what he needed after so many problems raining on him.

The next day is what changed everything. The atmosphere in the Tendos once again changed back to its former glory. Akane decided to leave everything for later and while trying to cheer Ranma, the girl decided to throw him out of the window instead of his father.

"What did you do that for!" Yelled the redhead, shaking at the same time the excess water from her damp clothes. "It's late Ranma. . .Change and get ready for breakfast, I'm cooking and you are eating it!" The tiny girl wanted to feel nauseous, but the new attitude in her girlfriend sure lifted the gloomy mood the family was in lately.

She ran back in, taking a quick shower and changing back into his guy form. "Fine. . .I'm sure your cookin' can' be that terrible after all this time. . ." Everyone sat at the table, Soun looking a bit tired and with the shades of black under his eyes telling everyone the cold water showers outside were taking a toll in his health.

"Father. . .I think that's enough sacrifice for one week. . .Keep doing it and I may need to ask Dr. Tofu to come and check on you." Admonished Kasumi to her dad who was closer to get a heavy flu. "D-D-Don't w-w-worry about me Kasumi-Chan. . .Akane w-w-will be fine dear, you can count on. . .On it. . .Achoo!"

Everyone laughed goodheartedly for a moment before the food was served. That's when everything changed back to the mood everyone wanted to avoid. Akane felt a sneeze coming up, moving quickly away from the table and reaching a napkin. When she blew loud and clear, the girl pulled a bloodied piece of paper away, trying to hide it too late when Kasumi gasped horrified by the sight.

"Akane!. . ." The youngest Tendo fell on the floor scared by the amount of red, forcing her tears of fear fall down her face uninterrupted. Nabiki and her elder sister took her to the bedroom upstairs while Soun asked Ranma to report her miss from now on from school until further notice.

The pigtailed boy left in a hurry, hoping to be able to come back and be at her side, but what stopped him in his tracks was Ryoga who was brushing his teeth near the edge of the town. "There he is. . ." Ranma veered sharply and darted with such speed, the lost boy had no chance to react when his rival fell right in front of his face. . .Mere inches away.

"Where in the hell have you been!. . .Akane needs you." The teen froze completely, unable to move when his heart began to thump loudly by the pressure of those blue eyes staring into his. "Well? . . .Ain't you goin' ta do somethin'. . .C'mon!"

Ryoga felt the need to be elsewhere. . .Anywhere but here when his flustered face made him look so guilty by those perverted thoughts. "I. . .N-Need to go. . ." Said fearful as he turned around and walked away. "Oh no, you don'. . ." Ranma went after him, this time sure that nothing would stop him from dragging his worthless hide back to the Dojo, but before his surprised eyes, the eternal lost boy took a step and then vanished into thin air.

"What the. . ." Replied to himself Ranma before Cologne jumped from a roof and scolded him angry. "What did you do son-in-law?. . .He was barely getting used to the technique and now there is no way to know where he went off to?"

"Old ghoul. . .I knew you had somethin' ta do when he was at the Nekohanten yesterday. . .Tell me. What's goin' on!?" Asked Ranma furious when people always left him out of the loop in a situation. "Sorry Ranma, but Ryoga is passing for a very hard time right now and he made me promise not to say more. Now. . .Why don't you go back home and attend your own affairs son."

Ranma suddenly remembered the message for class, leaving the place in a hurry but warning the old woman he would be back. "I'll be at the restaurant this afternoon old ghoul. . .I got ta go now. . ." After he left, Cologne waited a bit longer hoping Ryoga would be back, but nothing happened, forcing the elder to hop back to the restaurant to help with the customers.

In the middle of an island, Ryoga popped from thin air. The teen looked everywhere trying to find out where he was or when, but there was no people, only vegetation and wild animals. He ran around the edge of the coast, noticing a few hours later how he was stranded in a tiny island in the middle of the ocean and unable to use his technique again when he tried.

"Damn. . .I feel so exhausted if I try to focus and leave. . .This teleportation thing takes a lot out of me. . .I don't think I can do it again." Once he saw the place with a peacefully point of view, he opted to use it as his escape from reality and after an hour or so, he had a makeshift camp and several fish being cooked on a fire.

"This has got to be paradise for the hell I've been. I'll stay here for a while until I can charge that damn move and be able to get out of here." The idea was appealing for the teen who found the encounter more than what he was prepared to stand.

He had studied the dreams ever since they began, and arrived to the conclusion that the Ryoga in them wasn't him, but a future stage in his life. "I may not love that idiot now, that's for sure, but why would I feel different later and. . .What about Akane?. . .There is no way he'd leave her, specially for someone like me."

His thoughts betrayed him, fact that made him snarl in ire against his way of thinking. "Why in the hell did I say that?. . .I am not attracted one bit and even if I were, I swore to keep him married to Akane-san. That is my ultimate promise for my friend and for her and nothing. . .Not even these stupid dreams will make me change my mind you hear!"

His screams were directed to the heavens, but the person he referred them to was to himself, either now or in a future where he'd be together with the pigtailed girl. "Yuck!. . .I still can't believe I would have babies with that idiot. . .And how in the hell would a prideful moron like him let another man go all the way. . .There has got to be another reason for these nightmares. . ."

The smell of well cooked fish made his problems disappear for one instant, forgetting completely his worries for the flavorful bounty and the nice breeze coming from the ocean. Ryoga was so sure he wouldn't leave this place or vanish from it, that his first instinct was to get all his clothes off and jump in the cold ocean for the first time since he came looking for Ranma ready to exact his revenge.

The cold water bathing the piglet was so soothing and relaxing, his tiny muscles and worries melted even farther away. He felt happy for the first time in so long. Of course, not having a woman who would love him and share his hardships was a burden too heavy to keep to himself.

The piglet finally came back to the camp, dousing himself when warm water awaited in a small pool heating by the fire. Night came and with it, the heavy thinking Ryoga hated himself so much to carry when alone.

"Maybe that's why we end up together. . .Maybe Ranma sees me all alone and miserable and falls for me?" The question itself was so farfetched and stupid, a loud laugh drowned most of the wild life singing at the tune of the waves.

"Yeah right. . .Ranma Saotome feeling sorry for me after he has Akane, Ukyo and even Shampoo as fiancées. Hell, even as a girl he had that Kuno guy, and all those other morons who have courted him during his stay in Nerima."

"I still can't believe it, though if it wasn't because Akane-san told me about the tea ceremony guy, the rich boy with the giant mouth and so many others willing to ignore his real form with the excuse to have the beautiful redheaded girl. . .I'd say he loved being the girl all along. I don't know. . .Maybe we could, but. . .No. . .Nah!"

Ryoga stopped ranting out loud for a moment, taking a better look at Ranma's cursed form. She was really cute and every time he used her to goad him into a false sense of well being he succeeded. "I admit it, Ranma makes a very cute girl I'll give him that. In fact. . ." Said nervously even when he knew he was alone.

"I would love her unconditionally if there was the chance, but c'mon!. . .We are talking about someone who everyone wants. . .There's no way he would look at me in any other way but as a training dummy. Forget everything and move on Ryoga. . .You are destined to die alone, just like you were born seventeen years ago."

With that last thought, the teen sighed defeated, fixed his bed and went back to the only place where he was truly happy. . .His dreams.

The night wasn't very peaceful at the Tendos when Soun stayed all night thinking about the health of her daughter. "What will happen to the schools Tendo-kun. I know this is not the time, but what can we do old friend. . ." Genma always had his back through thin and thick, but his ambition was as terrible and selfish as the mouth in his son.

"Well Saotome-kun, if anything Ranma-kun can take Nabiki or Kasumi-Chan, but please leave that for later. . .Dr. Ono Tofu is coming tomorrow with the preliminary results and I need to be ready for anything. In the meanwhile please stay at my side, you know how everything went with my wife the last time."

Genma apologized too late, but still did out of friendship. When both parents stayed the rest of the night talking about old times with the company of several bottles filled with warm sake, the pigtailed teen sneaked out of the house and on the roof where the moon proved relaxing for his troubled mind.

"What the hell. . .Akane is too weak by the day, an' those symptoms look even worse." He kept thinking about the changes acting up and how would he be able to face them alone if the girl of his dreams would be no more.

"Ok, everythin' seems awful an' I'm sure there's nothin' I can do to make it better, but what 'bout Ryoga. . .I wanted him to be here so he could cheer her up." His thoughts moved from the lost boy as a friend and Akane's confident and into the figure he represented deep in his mind.

"We got a long way from our incessant fights. We accepted each other as friends an' I know he likes me, but why do I feel strange when he runs away from me. There's somethin' wrong an' I must know what it is. . ."

"Maybe I can help you with that in exchange for you leaving my Shampoo alone for good?" Came the reply from Mousse who was able to sneak so easily behind the pigtailed boy. "Mousse. . .What the hell are you talkin' 'bout. . .?"

"Just that Ranma. . .I know why Ryoga's been avoiding you for this long and I'm willing to share the secret if you promise to stay away from Shampoo." Ranma didn't feel like fighting or playing his games, but since he met the old ghoul around the lost boy lately, he figured the blind teen had something real.

"Fine. . .I'll leave her alone, but don' blame if she's the one botherin' me instead. . ." The circus trained teen accepted his word as good, sitting right next to him on the roof. "What I'm about to tell you is the truth so don't blame me Ok?. . .I have been looking closely all this and believe me, the old ghoul is very interested in Ryoga's new move more than his mental problems." After he warned him fair and square, the blind boy began from the time Ryoga arrived all tired and dirty from a long journey, to his late night trainings outside town.

Ranma's eyes grew from time to time, accepting his involvement with Ryoga and his disguises but refusing to think the boy could have feelings for him thanks to those tricks. "You can' blame for that!. . .I was just havin' fun an' I've done it to everyone!. . .From Kuno to most guys around town. . .That's how I get amused. . ."

"I don't care Ranma. . .All I want is for you to leave my Shampoo alone, and if Ryoga fell for you congratulations. . .That is not my problem at all." With that, the teen made his eccentric exit, leaving an even more puzzled Ranma understanding why Ryoga looked so spooked.

"B-But. . .I don' feel a thin' for him. Akane is who I love an' I would never see him any other way but as a friend. I need to find him and set things straight before that moron get the wrong idea. . ." He took a deep breath and hopped into the window of his room ready to call it the night.

Too bad his brain always worked over-time during his lapses of rest, rewarding him with the weirdest of dreams he loathed to remember the next day. Ryoga turned out to be the man of his dreams this time, acting so meek and obedient at the side of a redhead dressed in that white number Akane bought a few months back when he hit his head.

"Ryoga honey!. . .I love you so much." . . ."And I you my beautiful Ranma. I'd give my life in a heartbeat for being at your side until the day I die." The dream kept moving forward for the first time, letting the boy feel the kisses and the love the lost boy poured over his cursed form.

The next morning came by surprise to the pigtailed boy who woke up questioning his mind. "I don' get it!. . .Why didn' I jump sweaty an' scared durin' the night like when it happened with Kuno!?, I don' get it at all, unless. . ." His eyes bulged by the insinuation, forcing a tight lipped smile of frustration.

"Damn it. . .Those hormones are gettin' in my nerves. . .I got to talk with Dr. Tofu before I go crazy. . ." Ranma changed quickly, getting ready to leave when Ono walked in with the results of the tests had taken the day before.

Kasumi was the first to take him to the living room where everyone waited. "Please, come this way." The young man felt a bit tense by her presence, but not like other times. . .This time, the news weren't favorable at all for the family and he considered himself part of the family as well.

Akane and Nabiki on the table, Soun and Genma standing and Ranma nervously by the frame of the kitchen waited for the man to sit comfortably close to the girls. He thanked for the polite welcome but dropped the several papers in a yellow folder and with a tense voice he directed his full attention to the youngest in the family.

"Akane. . .It looks like the cancer is spreading incredibly faster than what my colleagues and specialists thought. They gave me an idea of how it works, but after I searched on every book available, I managed to find a technique capable to slow the process."

"They gave six months for the illness to invade completely, but I might get you I bit longer. . .I'm sorry Akane-Chan. . .But that's all I can really do." His glasses fogged with the tears of pain he could not contain, leaving no much option for her to do something else.

"Oh daddy!. . ." She launched desperate at Soun who embraced his daughter with so much hurt in his chest. "Dear girl. . .I don't know what to do. I can't pass again through this. . .My wife then and a daughter now?. . .I just can't take it. . ."

When he said that, his hand moved by reflex at his chest at the same time his consciousness left him for good. "Father!" Screamed Kasumi when Soun fell down to the floor, leaving Akane's arms floating on the air.

"Quick! help me carry him to a bed!" Genma and Tofu took him to his bedroom where the doctor noted a fainting heartbeat and weak state of mind slowly seeping his life away. "He's been under cold weather Dr. Tofu. He thinks sacrificing like that could help save Akane." The description Nabiki gave helped Ono administer antibiotics and declare the man bedridden for several days of full rest.

"Let him rest and he'll be fine Kasumi-san. In the meanwhile we need to make sure Akane is very comfortable and at peace so cheer her up and keep her close to those she love, that is the best therapy for her illness and the treatment my friends plan to administer."

After a while Ono left, swearing he would find a way to cure her without the use of radiation, but the girl knew those were comforting words more than a sure thing. When he left, she walked closer to Ranma, begging him with sad eyes for the other important person in her life before it could be too late.

"Akane, he won't come with me. . .You see, there's somethin' that happened an' I don' know if you should know." Again, insinuating was not the right way to keep secret stuff she wasn't meant to know but this was Ranma, the boy with the biggest mouth in all Nerima.

"What is it!. . .You better tell me now!" Ranma found no other option left, rolling his eyes at his stupidity, but shrugging defeated when there was no other choice. After he explained what Mousse said last night the girl chuckled at the idea, staring at the boy who presented the biggest blush across his face.

"Don' look at me that way!. . .I've never done nothin' to make him think that way an' I would never feel anythin' more than what a friend feels for another." Protested Ranma with anger in his face. "Well, If poor Ryoga sees you like that maybe is because you played the girlfriend card for so long?. . .Remember how he declared his love for you after that fishing rod incident."

The pigtailed boy forgot about that for good, but when she brought it up it sure made a lot of sense what Ryoga dreamt about him. "B-But he said it was a mistake!. . .You can' seriously think he has feelings for me. . .!"

Akane shrugged carelessly, admitting it would be a good ending in case she would be gone. "Who knows, maybe you two can hitch once I'm not here. . .Would you like that?" Asked with a sly stare the girl, more like a joke, but when the boy stayed quiet Akane realized there was something he denied but couldn't completely ignore.

"Your thinking about your little problem don't you Ranma?. . .Why don't you explain him and maybe he'll understand. . .After all, I'm sure he likes you enough to understand how painful that is for you. . ." Ranma sighed pensive when he thought about it as well, but no. . .This was a time for Akane and nothing else mattered.

"No!. . .I'll find a way to cure you 'kane. . .Even if it takes me to my death." After that, the boy left the house in search of the old ghoul, knowing if someone could know, that would be her.


	2. Chapter 2

Ah!. . .Nothing better than fish and fresh vegetables, cold showers and relaxing nights alone in a deserted island. Commodities Ryoga loved for as long as he could enjoy his stay in a place where worries, sadness and pigtailed girls wouldn't leave sleepless nights or depression. Still, after a few days in this glory he found the place too quiet and before he could go crazy, the same steps he learned from Cologne started to come to mind.

"Alright, think on Cologne. . .Concentrate on the old woman scolding me and acting smugly. . ." The boy began to feel her presence, forcing his steps towards that direction. When he felt strong enough to release his emotions, his feet began to speed up, darting ahead and into the ocean.

A few steps before touching the water though, the landscape changed completely, turning the beautiful landscape into a darker room. As he keep running ahead, the boy looked around, seeing how a wall was in his path, but unable to stop in time and stomping directly against it. Tables and Chairs flew, dishes on the other side fell and when he shook his head from the shock, he realized Cologne was arguing with someone.

That certain someone did notice the same loud thud shaking the place. Both Elder and Ranma blinked questioning the noise when down on the floor, Ryoga sat after the loud crash, scratching his head and wondering about the change of scenery.

"Man!. . .Where in the hell am I now!?" With some trouble the teen stood on his feet, scanning the area around where customers were leaving the place mad by the sudden interruption. "Finally Ryoga!. . .Where have you been son?" Asked Cologne just when the fanged boy turned around to meet her and the pigtailed boy.

Both Ranma and Ryoga saw at each other, but for a brief moment the pigtailed boy saw how the fanged teen averted his eyes away from him angry. "Oh man. . .I just used that stupid move and I'm already stuck with you?"

He decided to force the technique again, this time wanting to leave the place as soon as possible except this time a hand grabbed him from leaving. "Wait Ryoga, please don' leave Ok?" The fanged boy tried to shake him off, thinking he was going to make fun of his wobbly state, but when Ranma used the word please, Ryoga had the nagging idea that something was wrong.

"W-What is it Ranma. . .?" Asked Ryoga worried but still averting his eyes from the boy's intent stare. "There's somethin' really bad goin' on at the house. . .You need ta see Akane right away Ryoga." Both teens decided to move their differences aside, forgetting petty squabbles or whatever he felt confused about and leaving the restaurant in a hurry.

Ranma had a million questions ready to ask away, but when he grabbed his hand and pulled him by the streets of the town he knew if he didn't, the idiot would be lost in a second. Ryoga on the other hand felt a tinge of red heating up across his face.

"_He's holding my wrist and seems genuinely worried, but there's something else in his mind, I can feel it somehow. _. ." They rushed through busy people and the always water splashing accidents ready to happen. At some point, the fanged boy felt the change on his companion when the hand grabbing his wrist became smaller and softer, forcing him to pull away in fear when they almost cross a street.

"Damn it Ryoga!. . .Why did you let go?" The boy kept rubbing his hand while his eyes fell to the ground, increasingly nervous by the image hunting his dreams for so long. "R-Ranma, I. . .I can't be near you right now. . .I need to leave. . ." He started to walk away when the redhead noticed her change, leaving her with only one option left.

"Wait please!. . .Do it for Akane!" Ryoga stopped for a second, studying how distressed the redheaded teen looked so close to him, and the image of a blushing girl made him stammer back into his cowardly need to escape. . .Suppressing his need to see Akane. When Ranma felt like loosing him for good he threw the other, more intimate thing she thought worth mentioning regardless of the repercussions.

"I know you dream 'bout me an' how much you love me in those dreams Ryoga!" That pretty much froze the boy in place, doing what the girl wanted when his anger flared, but noticing how he swirled around and pointed a finger at the her, the now girl knew this was going to get rough. "I don't know how you know that, but don't get any ideas!. . .I don't love you Ok?. . .I just have these weird dreams is all"

He was fuming, but the distraction stopped him long enough from leaving which was what the redhead needed all along. This was the chance Ranma had, and so she used the situation at her favor by sticking her tongue out and running away from him. "Stop and face me you idiot!. . .Ranma, prepare to die!"

It was working. The fanged boy changed into a steamroller running over walls and roofs blind by the anger the pigtailed menace was so famous to entice with her antics. When the girl jumped from the last roof and into the patio of a house, Ryoga did the same, dropping right next to her and lifting the teen by the shirt.

Ranma stopped acting scared and out of no where, her face changed into the sly look of a hunter catching his prey. "I thought you loved me Ryoga-kun!" Said the cursed girl with a mellowed voice, activating the fanged boy's mind back to the dreams and noticing how close they were from each other, he began to stammer.

"Ah!. . ." Yelled Ryoga at the same time he jumped away, falling on the ground and averting his eyes from Ranma puzzled ones. "Fine!. . .You had your fun. Leave me alone you hear!" Ryoga decided to stop arguing and instead he began to walk away when another sweet but weak voice called him from his left.

"Ryoga-kun!" came the surprised tone from Akane, making his name into a command the lost boy needed to stop moving instantly. When he looked around, he realized Ranma already had led him to the Dojo. He veered away from Ranma, completely ignoring her satisfied grin on her face and walked closer to the girl calling his name.

"Akane-san!. . .Is everything Ok?" The girl ran out of the house frame where several of her friends from school visited her. She forgot everyone and everything, running at his arms with innocent abandon, and ignoring his stuttering speech or the fearful looks he was throwing at Ranma when she hugged him for dear life.

"Don' worry buddy. . .I ain't mad, but we need ta talk man. . ." All three friends walked into the house, mingling with the girls while Ryoga couldn't understand what was going on. Sayuri and Yuka were always the ones taking care of Akane from other threats, Ranma included, but they seemed so vulnerable, and her face?. . .Why did Akane-san looked so pale was the thought making Ryoga so uncomfortable.

Ranma was acting so weird too. He was polite with his fiancee, not to mention how social and well mannered he acted among her friends. If he didn't know any better, Ryoga believed some kind of magic potion exploded and turned his friend into another person. That or. . .

"Ryoga-kun. . .We need to talk about a lot things. . ." His fang popped when her voice filled his mind, but stayed quiet as the girl explained about the state of health she was in and how time was against her recuperation. "They gave me six months at the least so, I want you to move here with me and Ranma, please Ryoga-Kun. . .I need you these last days of my life. . ."

The expression he had was priceless for Ranma who saw shock beyond recognition, something he was so used to after such terrible news. This was a matter so sensitive, the Lost boy demanded with his clenched teeth why Ranma didn't mentioned it before. "Sorry man. I really tried ta find you earlier but you kept disappearin'. . ." Ryoga swirled for a moment trying to explain his situation, but the only thing he did was stare at the redhead, admitting this was too big to be worried about his own petty problems.

Ryoga swallowed hard, tears starting to swell in his eyes as his mind kept hammering loudly inside. "I. . .I would love to stay if you accept me Akane-san." The girl lit brightly, changing considerably the mood around the house.

"Great!. . .Then, could you please change into P-Chan just for today?" His eyes grew in surprise but after Ranma giggled nervously and the tired teenager jumped like a little girl, the last boy decided to leave the explanations for later, cleaning his face with the back of his hand, and walking upstairs.

A moment later, a piglet slowly slid step after step until the middle one vanished from its hooves and the tiny pig rolled down the fly so comically, most girls laughed while Akane rushed at his side with a giant smile on her face. "Oh P-Chan!. . .I missed you for the longest time. . ."

Ranma felt somehow satisfied by the picture, noting how the girl began to look paler by the day, but happy to have her whole family present. In the afternoon principal Kuno arrived to the house, announcing two undefined passes for Ranma and the sick girl allowing them to stay off without any problem from the authorities.

Kasumi changed dramatically towards all of the presents too, staying solely as a mother figure for her little sister at all times, tucking the girl at night or keeping an eye on her mood while commanding silence or order in case of sudden fights among Ranma and Ryoga, but it never came to that point since they were back together. When night arrived and before Ryoga would go as Akane's bed partner, the teen decided to get on the roof to think on a way to help her.

From the shadows of the night, another silhouette approached the boy who remained reclined with his hands resting under his head. It was Ranma who slowly moved right next to him, resting in the same position and staring at the stars.

"There's nothin' you can do Ryoga. . .I've been at her side since all this began an' I feel awful, but bein' her friend is all I've been able ta do. . ." Said the Saotome heir as he exchanged looks between him and the night sky. Ryoga winced afraid when his eyes darted into his, forcing Ranma to evaluate the other situation now before it would get out of hand.

"C'mon man. . .I know I messed with you a lot, but you can' feel nothin' for me right? I mean, I like you an' all but from that to love you is somethin' I will never do." Ryoga knew this was bound to arise, but what concerned him the most wasn't what he thought now, but in the future.

"You don't love me Ranma and I don't love you either. In the dreams you are way too old, like thirty or older and so am I. In fact, my nightmares are so real, lately I've dreamt us with a seventeen year old boy and a twelve year old girl. . .I think they are our children. Can you believe such nonsense?"

The pigtailed teen tried to explain that, but failed miserably when he spoke of things beyond his understanding. After a while he went quiet, fact that made Ryoga extremely nervous. "Say something damn it!. . .Beat me up or yell, don't just stay quiet and admit it could be true, because it won't be, that I swear."

"How can you say that? We've been stuck in so many magical artifacts an' spells that is not even funny." Ryoga snarled at his passive attitude, hitting him on the head desperately trying to make his point clear. "Ranma!. . .There is nothing you hear?. . .Nothing at all that would make me see you as more than a friend Ok? I swore I'd keep you two together and that's what I'm going to do. . .Actually. . .I think I could kill two birds with one stone now that I think about it"

The pigtailed boy felt the emptiness in his heart. He knew being alone was rough and since depression was a common emotion for his friend, he knew happiness was something new and unreachable for his way of thinking. Ranma waited patiently for his idea, and after a minute the lost boy told him what he had in his mind. The plan sounded so risky and dangerous Ranma had his doubts, but this was the only way Ryoga could redeem that old promise and save his dear Akane at the same time without regretting dying in the process.

"I'm going to focus with all my mind and I'm jumping into the future. Think about it Ranma. . .There might not be a chance in hell now, but in thirty years from today, there has to be a cure I can bring and use before it's too late."

After the way he escaped from his grasp when Ranma tried to stop him, the pigtailed boy agreed his technique had some merit, but to travel in time was something he could not believe just yet. "An' you think you can fly the first time you try?. . .I don' think you should man, what if you end up somewhere else or in another, I don' know. . .time?"

Ryoga scoffed his worry away with the only defense he used to describe his entire life. "Think about it Ranma. I have no one to call my own. . .No girl, no family and no one who would remember a screw up like the one I've become."

"If I jump in the wrong time and I cease to exist, "that" is nothing compared to live without loving. I get lost every time I have something important in my life and I know I will die alone just the way I came to this world. . .Only in this case I can bring something good. . .To have a last quest for Akane-san and your happiness, nothing could make me feel so proud."

There it was again, that damn feeling Ranma experienced every time that stupid idiot talked without knowing how much he meant for him and Akane. Ranma spun around, grabbing him from the shirt and baring his own clenched teeth in ire at the same time he pulled him even closer to his face.

"Don' you ever say that again you hear!. . .Akane loves you just as much as. . ." He stopped right there, afraid to say something he could regret later on, but Ryoga didn't get the meaning in his words when the boy was openly crying in pain for the possible loss of his dear Akane.

"I have to do something!. . .I will not see her die, I just can't. I prefer to see her happy in your arms and who knows, maybe I'll be the cool uncle who your children love above everyone else if my plan works. . .Think about it Ranma. . .Please?" His eyes were so full of hope and his quivering lips made Ranma almost cry, but instead he chuckled at the crazy idea, cleaning a tear or two from his own eyes when he understood his comment was a desperate cry of help, and a demonstration of how loyal he had become after all they went through.

"Damn man, that would be amazing. Ok. . .let's give it a try tomorrow, but I want ta be there and help you on anythin' every step of the way. . ." After the little chat they had and past the tension between their unspoken emotions died for now, both Ranma and a now splashed P-Chan jumped into the house ready to rest for the day.

The dreams kept rolling in, giving a sense of emotion and peace when either one of the three teens felt at ease. Akane sensed a bright and beautiful life at the side of a boy she loved. Although the teen at her side looked a lot like Ranma, she was able to find subtle differences that made him into another person.

He was taller and for some strange reason, when a splash of cold water came into play during the dream, there was no change at all. The boy kept calling her sweet names and his arms flailed around her body with such care, it was just impossible for him to be the Ranma she knew for so long.

Ranma kept living a life as a redhead enjoying the attention of Ryoga as his man, but he knew they were just dreams because both teens were the same young age, which was impossible after the chat they had on the roof. Still, the emotions she experienced as a woman slowly seeped through his defenses when an unrestricted subconscious was on the wheel in her unconscious mind.

He could feel the doubt impregnating his senses despite how much he fought against it with all his strength, proclaiming to the heavens his love for Akane as the only force driving his emotions, but when the lost boy appeared at the other side of the picture, his physical problems flared like Christmas lights every time Ryoga acted meek and kind

"_He's just a friend!. . .All I did were jokes an' he knows that. Why would he see somethin' that's not it?. . .He barely stands me an' that won' ever change . If he wants me to save Akane and marry her, then it means there is nothin' like those feelings in his heart_!"

His ranting claims ended up shallow, dying down by the exasperated nagging in the back of his head. He could feel a tension in between, leaving a simple but powerful question lingering in the air though. "_But love. . .That's just can' be. . .Can it_?"

Ryoga, on the other hand kept getting those images. They stopped being nightmares and became some type of memories so detailed, he could smell the breakfast the woman served, feel the warm body from a much older Ranma laying down at her side, and even notice how her looks were so real, just like a grown woman donned instead of the jovial demeanor she showed as a teenager.

When the morning came, all three teens woke up with different impressions from those dreams. Akane never looked so happy, humming and singing as she helped with the house chores despite Kasumi's insistence to stay in bed.

She kept thinking on the meaning of the dreams, but with so many changes rushing in her life and the pressure she had when a few months were everything the experts gave her to live, she preferred not to go crazy and instead keep living a lie for the sake of the family.

"C'mon Nee-Chan! I feel the need to move and help around. Let me rest after a good dusting Ok?" The elder could do nothing more than follow the rambunctious teen barely able to move by the lack of food and rest.

After an hour of sluggish motion, Akane couldn't do much else, but what stopped her mostly was the other two yelling out loud on the patio. When she arrived outside the Dojo, Ryoga was standing in front of a pigtailed boy cheering him up about the progress in his training.

"What are you doing?" Asked the girl when she sat on the wooden floor outside. "kane!. . .Ryoga can move through time!" The girl crooked a brow, not believing what she heard until the lost boy vanished from where he was and popped a few steps ahead all tired and with a magazine on his hand.

Ranma ran at him again, pulling the paper and showing it to the girl. "Great smashing success last night with the Sakura trees carnival!" Read the girl out loud from the front article. The magazine was dated nine months ahead from today and after the few pictures she managed to see inside showed happy couples, some where from stalls she hadn't seen the last year.

Just as she tried to pass to the next page Ranma took it away, throwing it into the air in the right moment it burst into smoke and vanished. "Sorry, the last newspaper blew in Ryoga's face when we tried ta see the lottery numbers."

Akane was speechless and wondering how it was possible, but watching how all of a sudden the lost boy dropped tired in the pond, she reached with an extended hand but unable to do anything more. Ranma, distracted with the girl failed to watch over him, noticing too late but lunging into the body of water anyway and pulling a coughing piglet from the bottom.

With some renewed strength, Akane raced towards the dizzy pet, grabbing him on her chest while the redhead felt a bit guilty for not paying attention. "Oh P-Chan!. . .What were you trying to do!?" Ranma looked to the side, accepting fault but when P-Chan bweed angry while trying to escape by wiggling his tiny body from her arms, her partner in crime knocked him on the head, angry at his tireless intents.

"Stop it you idiot!. . .We can always try later on!" Akane fumed initially, but began to calm down once she noticed both Ranma and the piglet quietly stopping the fight. "Ryoga has a new technique Akane an' I think he can cure you with it, but we are tryin' to make it work."

P-Chan nodded with what Ranma had said. After a moment later though, the tiny porcine fell on her arms exhausted by the effort. "Poor P-Chan. . .He's dead tired. Let's get him inside and you can explain me more about this technique of his."

When Ranma explained in detail what Ryoga told him, all the family skipped with happiness, except Akane who petted tenderly the piglet on her arms. "I don't know Ranma. What if he misses and end up in the wrong time. . .?"

"I asked him the same thing 'kane but he made his mind an' by the look of things he promised me a lot more than just risking his life. . ." Both teens talked about the lost boy's sworn pledge to keep them together and how, not even death would keep him away from provide her the happiness she deserved. Ranma even mentioned amazed how Ryoga counted the pigtailed teen's happiness as a second part in that oath.

Akane noticed the strong bond Ranma built with his dearest friend. There was a certain worry her fiance fought to either embrace or deny, but in the end he failed, using the "love like a brother" card instead. In the end she just smiled and stared at a boy giddy by the idea to have a friend like him.

"I've never seen him this stubborn before, but I like it Akane. It's like he wants us as his family and I always wanted him with us. . .He deserves ta be happy an' he belongs here." Soun and Genma were Ok with the sacrifice, cheering like two drunks while Nabiki, although interested in her sister's health, her ambitious attitude marveled at the idea to know the future before it happened.

She played a strong part in all this Akane thought all of a sudden when she caught her sister sneaking in and out of school more often than not, and specially dealing with business away from Nerima. Except this time around, the ice queen looked legitimate interested in the material side of the situation more than what her sister or Ryoga were going through.

"Can you believe it?. . .Knowing the results of a game, or the numbers from the national lottery could mean enough money to finance better doctors and people searching for the cure, think about it sis. . .We could find the cure now!, instead of sending him into a future where Ryoga-kun might not even find. . ."

The idea did sound appealing, and when the girl wanted to avoid any ill result her sickness could bring, she decided to go for it until the redhead got the attention of the family when her red mane shook from side to side negatively.

"forget it Nabiki. . .We tried to do it an' as soon as we looked for the results, the paper blew like if it knew we would do somethin' different to the present. . .I think Ryoga can change things that affect him personally, but somethin' general or big might not be possible." The idea Ranma just explained left all the family gaping, and wondering how would he know that, but they left that for later when the tiny piglet finally opened his eyes.

The youngest Tendo let the pet down on the floor, leaving him alone after he looked better on his own. "P-Chan. . .I mean, Ryoga, I'm so glad you're Ok, I prepared a hot bath so you can go in and change back." Ryoga's enormous and expressive eyes contemplated the joyful demeanor on the girl towards him even after the possible demise she would soon receive if he'd fail in the intent.

A bit later, a desperate and recently transformed teenage boy rested on the Furo, sneering angrily at his incompetence when the door opened and Ranma walked in. "Hey man. . .Mind if I join ya?" The boy shrugged at his request, ignoring him altogether while his eyes darted away from him.

"Shouldn't you wait for your own bath?. . .I mean, taking one with someone like me could be very uncomfortable." Ranma ignored the remark, descending in the steaming water and relaxing from the tension of the day at the same time his companion moved slightly away from where he sat.

"Nah. . .Unless I make you nervous?. . ." Ryoga tried to ignore the comment, turning completely away and resting his head on his hands at the side of the wooden tub while another storm brewed in his mind. "I'm afraid Ranma. What if I meet "me". . .Worse even. . .What if I meet "us". It would be so weird, not to mention awkward beyond anything I've done before."

Ranma thought about that as well, keenly interested in how that unholy union could have been arranged. "I don' know man. . .Have you thought that maybe we do make it for a reason?. . .What if Akane dies. I don' want ta think 'bout it but if it does, do you want ta know what she said ta me the other day?"

Ryoga hated to hear him say that, but what Akane told him peeked his interest, letting the pigtailed teen go on with the conversation. "She said that maybe we could "hitch" once she's not here. . .That we make a good couple, can you believe her?"

This time Ryoga stayed quiet, making Ranma's skin crawl by the tension in the room. "C'mon man! Say somethin' . . .Anythin'. . .Kick me, beat me up, but don' leave me hangin' after what I just said!" The lost boy stayed silent, thinking how to respond when he did thought about it like that on the deserted island not too long ago.

After a second too late he finally spoke, laughing at the situation with dry humor. "You really think you and I could really live in peace?. . .Think about it. The most annoying and prideful idiot over the face of the earth accepting a loser like me when another two beautiful girls wait their turn to marry him."

"Ukyo and Shampoo will jump at the chance, not to mention all those guys running after you when transformed. Face it Ranma, you are too beautiful and nice for someone like me, "if" and that's a big "if". . .If I were interested." Ryoga never thought exactly what he had said, but Ranma took every word as a complement. Still, he needed to break the ice. . .To do something to make the situation less awkward and that's when his mouth came into play.

He felt the irresistible feeling to do it. He tried not to, but he kept asking for it and after some deliverance, the pigtailed boy moved closer to his friend which was looking away, almost touching his ear with his lips and said. "Why Ryoga-kun. . .I never knew you were so jealous of me. . ."

"That does it. . .You are so dead!" Yelled the lost boy at the same time he stood up from the hot water. Ranma did the same, ready to fight, but both stopped when Ryoga gaped in fear as his eyes stared at his naked body. The Saotome heir realized his shame too late, dropping into the water at the same time his flustered face looked away in shame and his arms flailed over his nude chest.

"I swear Ryoga. . .If you tell anyone 'bout this, I will kill you!" The fanged teen didn't how to counter that, deciding that was enough soaking and while dressing in a moment, the scared boy left the furo more nervous than ever without looking back.

"Damn it!. . ." Sneered Ranma still in the tub after his most intimate secret had been revealed accidentally. "Man. . .He better be quiet or else. . ." His arms moved away again, letting his shame visible and his mood gloom from the incident. He wasn't ready to deal with that and now his closest friend knew about it. . .From everyone he had met in this town, the least possible person discovered what could destroy his life as a man.

At this time, everything kept spinning in Ryoga's head. He needed to focus and move on with the plan now or never before Ranma's or any other problem could stop him from doing so. When he walked out of the house, Akane saw him from her window, sensing how her heart thumped tensely, and knowing something was wrong.

"R-Ranma!. . ." Screamed the girl when no one else could stop what Ryoga was doing out there. The pigtailed boy rushed from the furo, changing and going into her bedroom where the girl's torso hanged from the open window. "Kane, what are you doin' . . .?" But she kept stretching her hands away and screaming at someone on the patio, ignoring his worry for her safety at the same time.

"Don't let him leave Ranma. . .Not now!" The boy knew who was she talking to, and with his bare teeth snarling at a Ryoga's desperate need to rush things, he ran out of the house, meeting a sweaty boy appearing and disappearing from one side of the place to the next.

"Damn it Ryoga!. . .You are wasting too much Chi. Stop it before. . ." PUFF! Was the next sound right before the eternal lost boy vanished for good. Ranma felt a pang of guilt, but he had not time to pout, instead he rushed back to the house where Akane laid on the floor unconscious.

When Kasumi helped Ranma set her on the bed, the boy explained how Ryoga went ahead of time and forced the technique without mastering it first. "I. . .I don' know if he made it or not, but he ain't back yet. . ."

There wasn't much they could do now, but hope the fanged boy could find his way into the future and back before Akane's health would deteriorate more. Ranma stayed at her side from then on, but as he looked out the window, his guilt ridden face could clearly show how sorry he was for taunting the boy.

With the same stars high above staring back at him, the pigtailed teen wished something he didn't want to admit at the moment, but it was starting to swell in his heart. "Be Ok your damn mule. . .You better come back safely. . ."

Away from the Tendo household and beyond most houses, a secret meeting went underway for the rehabilitation of a demented teen and his infatuation for a misguided love. The middle Tendo sister massaged the bridge of her nose when after several hours his student kept reverting back to his maddening ideas.

"Ok Kuno-honey. . .From the top. This, is a mouse affected with the pool of drown dove. Look closely and tell me what happens." Tatewaki Kuno stared intently at the white rodent transforming its body into a white dove right before his eyes by the mere touch of cold water.

"Marvelous. . .That water has magic properties beyond belief!" Finally Nabiki admitted he knew the difference between the magic pool curse she managed to buy and get from the guide taking care of Jusenkyo, and the idiotic idea of a sorcerer kidnapping a dove in exchange of a mouse.

"This has taking me some funds from my personal account Kuno-baby, but it's worth it if you understand the nature Ranma has." The mention of the pigtailed boy after eight hours of forced examples hit the Kendoist square in his brain, raising a hand into the air after the realization at last downed in his mind.

"Ranma Saotome is not an evil sorcerer. . .He fell in this strange magical pool and his transformation is my beautiful tea kettle girl. . .Wait. . .Steaming tea kettle?. . .that's the antidote for such ailment isn't fair Nabiki Tendo?"

The ice queen blessed the stars, realizing his subject finally put two in two. "That's right Kuno-honey. . .You understand at last Ranma-kun's transformation!" The older teenager's mind went into battle thinking about his girl being really a man, and his desire to have her no matter her perverted origins.

"I must ponder this in more detail. . .Here, fifty thousand yen as we agreed. Nabiki Tendo. . .I must be alone to understand this some more." The girl had what she wanted and her good deed for the century was done without any side effect that could worsen this treatment. . .Or so she wanted to believe.

Inside in what it looked like a corridor of sorts, Ryoga could see lots of frames on the walls. Pictures he described about himself with Akane and Ranma, the Tendo family and even Nabiki making deals with a man.

For some reason he found that amusing and, after leaving the painful sight of several images without seeing his beloved Akane, he noticed how the ice queen was in big trouble with man dressed in a trench coat. The boy extended his hand and when he touched the image, it began to play like a recording.

"I'm sorry Miss Tendo, but the rules apply to your escapades as well as those of your relatives. . .There is an outstanding bounty for one hundred million yen plus extras you dealt as payment for a girl named Ranma Saotome working on a luxurious restaurant in Tokyo."

"She is to be sent back as a waitress for an undetermined amount of time before she is incarcerated and you will be sent right away by the accident where an empty helicopter crashed in the middle of the city. . .Many witnesses saw you with a young man, but the boy was never found. . ."

The image froze and the next set of pictures depicted Ranma behind bars, used in terrible ways when his curse was revealed to the perverted men who found no problem with subduing the boy and treat him in the worst of ways. "Damn it. . .I didn't know any of this would happen. I can't let him down, I have to get that cure for Akane-san and fix all that mess."

He decided to stop stalling and get it on when at the end of the tunnel, a light appeared to be the end of his journey. The boy with the bandanna rushed out of the path, popping right in the same patio, outside the Tendo Dojo and to his surprise Ranma was already out there, staring at the traveling teen like if he were someone else.

"Damn it!. . .Don't tell me I didn't make the jump after all?" The pigtailed boy walked closer to him, but the strain by the effort had been too much and his strength left him, dropping to the ground in a thud while his blurred vision told him there was nothing else he could do at the moment.

Voices kept dragging in his sleep without a care. Ryoga heard those voices over and over during his nightmares, but this time they sounded so real. . .So close, he knew something was up. "Ah!. . .What's going on!?" Asked with a labored breathing and a puzzled look at the same time two blurry forms began to take more humanly shapes.

"See!? I told you to stay quiet you dope. Now he'll go all ballistic after that stupid cure. . ." The tone sounded strangely familiar. Kind of a cross between Shampoo and Akane's voices when angry. The teen decided to take a peek, fact that he regretted when at the side of the bed a girl no older than twelve argued with Ranma about his state of unrest.

"I told you, pops doesn't know he's here already. According to his calculations, he is supposed to appear in two months from now!. . .We need to know why and how he was able to alter the jump." That comment did the effect necessary to wake him up. Ryoga snapped out of his groggy state, launching his battle pose and ready to deal with anyone opposing his plans without caring who would result injured.

"Alright!. . .Who the hell are you and what are you talking about?" The boy his age felt no fear by the reaction, taking his own pose in a second and decided to fight him openly. "I'm not telling you squat!. . .Want some answers? Come and get them."

Ryoga didn't wait for any other invitation, lunging at his opponent with the straight attitude he always was so famous for in a fight. "your making this too easy!. . .At least reinforce your defense before attacking me so stupidly. . ." cackled the faster boy

The bandanna fighter had no time to argue or respond back, instead, he kept pushing his blind punches against the much more faster and stronger teen. Ryoga noted how this guy was toying with his moves, but what made him smile was how sloppy the teen evaded him every time he ran close to meet him.

"Bakusai-Tenketsu!" Yelled Ryoga just as his index finger hit the wall behind him. The boy somehow knew this and jumped out of the way from the explosion without realizing Ryoga had a hold of his calf. "Always scurrying like a rat eh Ranma?. . .You may know my moves, but one thing is avoid them and another, timing your jumps which I already know as well."

The teenager with extreme power in his muscles did an easy work with the Ranma look alike, beating him around like a rag doll until he thought it was enough. On the other side of the battlefield, the little girl couldn't contain the tears, watching how her brother was almost out of breath and trying to release his grip.

"Stop it please dad!" The scream made Ryoga stiff and unable to move a finger. The little girl ran at her brother's side, hoping he wouldn't have too much damage until the teen shoved her aside roughly, skipping on the other foot while raising his fists, ready to fight.

"Move!. . .This is an honorable fight between him and me, stay down!" The boy kept staring down at the girl, forcing the poor kid to shy away in shame, and that made his opponent flare in anger at him. "Hey!. . .Leave her alone you hear?" Yelled Ryoga with that certain tone he always used to make matters serious.

"She is trying to help you and this is how you repay her help!?. . .You're nothing but a bully." The strange looking teen bared his teeth in anger, but the commanding tone Ryoga used made him squirm in place, forcing his eyes down at the floor and his demeanor change into submission.

"S-Sorry pops. . .I didn't mean to go harsh on Karen. . .Again. . ." Said the boy with a tinge of guilt Ryoga could not understand. "W-Wait. . .Why do you keep calling me pops?" Asked the boy puzzled until the answer fell on him like a ton of bricks.

"Wait. . .Wait one darn minute. Don't tell me I did jump through time and am in the future?" Both kids bobbed silently while their heads stayed down, as if Ryoga was scolding them for something they did wrong.

"S-So. . .If I already jumped through then you must be. . ." Again, both the teen and the little girl nodded affirmatively by the question, sending chills down Ryoga's spine when he took a better look at them. The boy is the exact duplicate of male Ranma, including his pigtail and the way he moved while the little girl looked more like the Yoiko character Ranma portrayed once a long time ago.

"This is nuts. . .I manage to arrive what? Thirty years or so in the future and am already talking to my children?. . .And if that's the case, where is the worthless of myself and the idiot of Ranma right now?" Karen couldn't contain the laughter, letting herself go as her brother tried to loosen up from his presence.

"What?. . .Is it funny for me to call that idiot an idiot?" The little girl kept grabbing her tummy, laughing hysterically while her sibling could do nothing but start chuckling with her. "Sorry pops, but if mom were to catch you calling her names, all Nerima would be in chaos and shambles. . ."

Yup, this was getting better and better by the minute. Ryoga agreed to stay out of the loop or be seen by his counterpart, letting both teens take him to their old house. The bandanna clad teenager saw how his old home still belonged to the Hibikis, not to mention the Tendo Dojo, and several other locales around Japan.

"And you tell me we're rich now?. . .How?" Asked Ryoga a lot confused by the history he was oblivious until now. "You told us of many adventures thanks to your lack of direction. During most journeys you kept saving gems here and relics there, that's when auntie Nabiki asked you for help and the two of you cataloged all the things you had lying around here and in your backpack."

"You mean, after so long I kept getting lost even up to this day?" Ranryu blinked puzzled by the question, but his shaking head told him how he had changed over the years. "No pops. . .You gave up that illness when a treatment was developed and he decided traveling through time was too dangerous for a human being to use."

The little girl was lost with his youthful looks, making the teen a lot more nervous than when he arrived. "P-Please um. . .Karen is it?. . .Can you stop staring at me like that?. . .It kind of makes me really nervous." The girl gasped enthralled by his timid banter, forcing a giggle of delight when the boy was more flustered than ever.

"Sorry dad, but you have never been the shy guy since I've known you. . .In fact, what you did to mom last night when we caught you was too. . ." She was about to explain in detail when Ranryu bonked her on the head, stopping her from keep talking.

"Damn it Kara!. . .He isn't pops and we need to keep the lid tight until they meet in person!" The teenage girl nodded with his hand still covering her mouth, agreeing to stay quiet with matters not related with his voyage.

Ryoga's ears were ringing loud by the image though, his face red as a tomato and his eyes danced at the pace of his trembling hands. "M-Me? . . .And R-Ranma?. . .N-No!. . .I came here to solve that terrible mistake and cure Akane-san, so yes. . .Please stop saying such stupid stuff like that Ok?"

The girl's mood changed drastically now, noting how much hatred had this boy who was supposed to be her father for the woman who gave her life. "Y-You don't mean that. . .Say it. . .S-Say it!" Her tears started to swell in her big, brown eyes, making Ryoga feel awful for the things he just said.

"L-Look. . .I know here Ranma is your mother and that makes so much sense to you, but to me. . .I mean, I just ended fighting him a while ago before jumping into the tunnel. I like him alright?. . .But it took me ages and after seeing how much Akane-san loves him I accepted him as a good friend for their happiness."

"But to end up like this is just impossible!. . .I mean, he "is" a guy!. . .When or what did we do to jump from barely. . .Even passable friends to a married couple is just not possible. . .Not to mention Akane still alive and in the equation."

The teenage boy and his sister kept looking at him strangely, giving him the impression of the fact he's been in denial ever since all this hell began. "No!. . .Don't think she didn't make it 'cuse I'm saving her even if it kills me as I do it. . ."

His long speech kept the boys from complaining or arguing back, but the point remained on the air. What made them be together and what happened with Akane if she wasn't present in this time were the reasons eluding him at the moment.

After the boy and his sister thought about it for a second, Ranryu couldn't help it but agree with his guest on one of his misguided ideas. He had the faintest doubt about their union as well not because he hated his parents, but for all the ridicule the teenage boy keep getting in school about the nature of his mother.

"Your right pops. . .That is my question as well. I know what happened to her is just wrong, but to accept her so easily is just unreal." That last part made Ryoga blink a bit lost by the comment. When he tried to pry more information on the case, both teens refused to say anything more until the bandanna traveler would meet them in person.

"I don't know. If I tell you and you go back, I may destroy something valuable pops, better leave the rest to. . .Well, you and mom." After they talked for a while about what he saw about Nabiki and the several images from his future, Karen grabbed his hand, leading him outside the house and into a town much bigger than what the one he left behind.

"Here dad. . .Keep going but don't open your eyes until I tell you." The little girl was mesmerized by the boy's willingness to obey. Even Ranryu was ecstatic after knowing his father all his life and seeing a new, more jovial and carefree demeanor than his hard behavior now days.

"Ok. . .You can look now!" Ryoga did as told, opening his eyes and watching in surprise a giant building which looked much more like a hospital. The boy kept searching what the little girl pointed at and suddenly there it was. . .A giant name high on the roof. "Akane Tendo Cancer research center. . ."

Ryoga was speechless. He didn't give up at the idea to see Akane run free and healthy in this time, but to have a whole building on her name was so impressive, he knew she had to live around here. "She must be a rich and famous businesswoman today. . .I wonder if we could see her?"

Both teens looked at each other and then shook sadly, knowing that would shot his enthusiasm down. "Sorry pops, but Akane Tendo was never seen around here for a long time. Only my pops and mom know what happened after you went back with the cure, but they are tight lipped about it. . ."

That didn't bode well for his plans either. Ryoga expected to just grab the cure and jump back to save her friend, but things seemed to complicate the longer he was in town. "Fine then. . .If there's no other choice, I guess we need to go and see those two idiots. . ."

Ranryu swallowed dryly while Karen sassed nervously at the way he talked. When they decided to take him home, the first rule they offered was the way he talked around the older couple. "Don't you dare saying stuff like that pops. . .Yourself in this time is way more energetic and strict than what you might be back then, and mom. . .Well. Mom has her own attitude to be aware of. . .Just mind your manners Ok?"

Ryoga shrugged carelessly, admitting he was a bit nervous to meet himself, but not scared to be intimidated by an older, grumpier duplicate. "I can deal with that bastard when he's in a bad mood, so myself is just as easy, believe me. . ."

As much as they tried, both teens shrugged their shoulders as well, realizing this was something bound to happen sooner or later. What they were worried the most though, was the reaction their father was going to get when seeing himself much earlier than anticipated.

The way back to the Tendos was relaxed and calm. There was no splashing ladies or annoying people bothering him whatsoever. Even they told him how Shampoo and Ukyo moved out the moment everything went down with Nabiki and her private problems.

"Auntie Nabiki affected the whole town pops. Mom almost got in prison for life, or until she could pay the debt. Auntie was sentenced already when you intervened in the last moment, and after whatever happened to auntie Akane, Ukyo decided to move away when mom accepted you instead of her or Shampoo."

"What keeps eluding my mind is what happened when you came back. Auntie Akane was alive wasn't she? And if that's the case, why would mom accept you when she had her safe from harm. I know I said something about mom's problem, but I don't think that would be something strong enough to make her quit Akane. . .I just can't believe it. . .Unless."

"You and me both man. . ." Asserted Ryoga more puzzled than before. "I can't think of anything strong enough to let Ranma be with me if he is a man, loves Akane and I come back in time to save her. . .Something really powerful must've happened but I just can't understand what would that be. . .And there is no "unless". . ."

When they stopped talking, The Tendo residence was right in front of the three teens. It looked a lot more impressive and much more modern than what he remembered, but what changed the mood instantly was the shout forcing his hosts to tremble in the spot.

"Ranran!. . .Kara!. . .Come this instant. . .Right now!" The tone felt almost militaristic, as if a commanding officer called his subordinates back into formation without a care for their opinions. "I said. . .Now!" Both boy and girl stared at Ryoga one last time before jumping skillfully over the wall and standing in front of a rough looking man waiting with his arms across his chest.

"Well!?. . .Why in the hell would you skip school if you know how important that is!?" Ranryu tried to argue first, knowing he was the eldest and the one in charge of his sister, but the bearded man couldn't have nothing of it, walking closer to the boy and enforcing his presence with anger.

"Twenty laps. . .Right now I want too see those flags between Nerima and Itabashi in my hand. . .Go!" Ranryu couldn't do a thing but snarl at the punishment, having nothing else to add except turn around and jump on top of the roof and stare with tears at the much younger Ryoga peeking through the main door. "You have until this afternoon young man. . .!"

Right before he could start his race, and before the man walked up to the shaking girl Ryoga couldn't contain himself so, in a desperate move he jumped over the wall and walked with thunderous steps towards the terrible sergeant.

"Who the hell do you think you are to treat them like that you moron!?. . .You didn't even go to school at all, believe me. . .I'd know!" The older Ryoga squinted his eyes trying to recognize the boy in front of him. When he did, neither Ranryu or Karen realized what had happened when their father vanished from his commanding post, only to pop right against the opposite wall several feet away with the new teen's head in his grasp.

The crash was imminent and loud, leaving a young bandanna boy perplexed when he didn't even noted when the older man grabbed him by the head and stomped him with so much force against the fence made of concrete, all his senses shut down immediately.

"Damn it!" Screamed the young Ryoga when the hit was so hard, his eyes started to blur again and unconsciousness claimed his mind. "So. . .This is why you skipped school?. You should've come to me first guys, but it doesn't matter. . .Take him to the guest room until he wakes up. . .There's plenty of news he needs to know before going back home."

Back in the past, Ono checked Akane laying on her bed. The girl looked exhausted and with no will to go on, leaving Kasumi so tired and tense, she began to feel the strain she once experienced with her mother. "Please Dr. Tofu. . .Does she really needs to get those harmful radiation treatments?"

"I'm sorry Kasumi-san, but the specialists are trying to attack the centralized malignant cells on her breasts and although the illness is slowing down, it appears we need to start Chemotherapy here at home. . .I'll bring the several agents and start with the treatment tomorrow. In the mean time try to keep her comfortable, and avoid any struggle that could strain her health."

After his visit, Ranma saw how his fiancée deteriorated into the fragile image she was now. He wanted to swear like Ryoga had done in the past, but the situation seemed bleak at best for the girl. After Akane succumbed to her tired eyes, the teen decided to take an afternoon nap, letting the boy escape from this reality to care for her illness and leave the house with the idea to reflect in his life.

Everything looked dead in his eyes. Kids played on the street and old people walked to the park with their family and neighbors. The pigtailed boy wondered how could he live watching the girl he fought for so long slowly dying, and that's when his thoughts betrayed him. . .And her at the same time.

"Damn it Ryoga. . .You may be in the future now, but I am takin' all the load here!. . . I live at her side, cry when she does an' even pass sleepless nights wonderin' if you'll be back in time to save the day. I-I'm tired man. . .I'm really tired 'cuse I'm not made for this. . .I want ta quit, but my honor an' her love forces me to stay put."

His thoughts kept him unaware from the presence he did not expect at this time. When he kicked a stone down the street, that's when a hand landed on his shoulder, gaining the full attention of the boy. "I must give you credit where credit is due Ranma Saotome. . .My eyes were just open not too long ago, but all I've seen these past few days is someone who worries for my beloved Akane Tendo."

The Kendoist left any ill desire to fight him, noticing how the pigtailed boy looked so tired and silent from what he had gathered so far with Nabiki's help. "I have searched far and wide for the cure but alas, my efforts have been in vain."

His open feelings made Ranma's brows furrow when his arm moved from his shoulder and around his neck like if they were friends from long ago. With a sudden motion, Kuno moved closer to his ear, covering his lips with the crevice of his hand and making it look like he was about to tell him a secret.

"I may look like a fool to you and everyone else Ranma Saotome, but I know about this curse of yours now. Why would I act like a demented in front of my fellow students if I know the truth?. . .Why, how else could I show my appreciation for such beauty goddess hidden in you."

"Stay strong my beautiful pigtailed girl, and keep my Akane Tendo safe until the day "I". . .The blue thunder of Furinkan can claim her hand in holy matrimony. . ." When he said his peace, the strange romantic swordsman walked away with such high head, Ranma kept quiet by the sudden confession but unable to complain about it.

"Sheesh. . .When I think I've seen it all, more surprises come my way. . .Maybe Ucchan help me relax with some free food." The boy dashed towards the restaurant on the other side of town, where a busy girl barely left school to prepare for the daily chore to sell her dishes.

"Hey Uchan!. . .Haven' seen you in a while. . ." The Okonomiyaki chef as always was too busy to pay attention to others besides her customers but when she saw a tired pigtailed boy frantically agitated near the grill, her full attention flew back at him.

"Ran-Chan!. . .Sorry I have been away, but with the tests at school and the business going so strong, I can barely make it alive. . .But tell me. How's Akane doing?" The boy scoffed weary from the news, explaining how her state was getting from bad to worse and according with the doctor, there wasn't much anyone could do by now.

"Poor Akane. . .I'm really sorry to hear that sugar." The girl bit her lower lip, deciding this to be a moment among friends and announcing the early closing of the store for personal matters. When all the customers left, three plates filled with the most expensive food laid on the table.

"Here Ran-Chan. . .Eat at your heart's contempt while I prepare something for the Tendos. . .They must be so worried right now." The teen didn't look twice, devouring the food and enjoying the company while the place looked solitary and empty.

"There's somethin' else goin' on Ucchan. . .Is 'bout Ryoga. . ." The girl's eyes rolled this time, admitting he would be a problem for her fiance in a situation like this, and before he could say the lost boy's situation, she offered to be at his side at all time.

"Don't worry sugar. . .If that idiot dares to make a fuzz, I'll send him packing out of here without hesitation." Ranma stared at her friend, surprised to think how Ryoga really was a pest for most people in Nerima who looked at him more like a homeless rebel than a poor lost soul.

"It ain't like that Ucchan!. . .He is doing his best ta save Akane an' that takes guts. Let me explain how everthin' is goin' on an' than we can head home to see her." Ukyo accepted the idea, leaving the locked restaurant behind while both teens walked the streets with destination to the Tendos.

"Are you sure that jackass can actually travel through time?. . .It sounds so farfetched to me, although him getting lost all the time makes it sound like he could do it." Her puzzled eyes made her question valid, but a bigger surprise came when her fiance actually was defending him instead of complain about the fanged boy's rushed decisions.

"He does. . .I've seen him do it an' right now he's tryin' ta get the cure, "IF" he manages to comeback before. . ." Ranma stopped talking when they arrived home. Akane rested outside by the pond when the smell of Okonomiyaki impregnated the patio and she realized Ukyo had come to visit.

"Hey Akane!. . .How are you feeling?" Asked the girl with genuine preoccupation in her tone. "I feel tired all the time, but otherwise I'm at peace. . .Tell me Ukyo. . .How's school?" Both girls got it off talking at the speed only women do, leaving a pigtailed teen wondering if even transforming into a girl helped him understand the way they acted.

"In retrospect, all the guys miss you and wish for your prompt recuperation. We decided to confront a few problems of our own, and after I talked with Shampoo the other day, we decided to leave things off until your ready to fight. . ."

The challenge made the youngest Tendo smile, knowing that once she'd be gone, the truce would be off and Ranma was going to be free to pursue whoever he wanted. "Thanks Ukyo. . .I really. . .I-I really appreciate it."

Kasumi arrived quickly outside, and after some complaints from the girl, the elder sister insisted in taking her inside to keep the girl well rested. "I better leave Akane, but I promise to be back everyday and we can find other stuff we can do to make you feel better."

The girl couldn't ask for anything more. Later that night, the family decided to leave early after dinner. Akane took a different approach this time around, asking Ranma if they could talk alone about their relationship mostly. When they convened in her room, the boy acted faithfully complacent towards his fiancée, but that didn't stop the girl from confirming his feelings after all this time.

"Ranma. . .If I don't make it. . .Who would you see after me?" The teen had no idea how to answer that, keeping his mouth shut while hoping the girl could slowly fall asleep. "You always talk about Ukyo more like a sister than a girlfriend so I guess Shampoo would be the next in line."

She was feeling tired and what's worse, the look in Ranma was that of a person spent from taking care of a terminal patient. She never wanted this to happen, and after some thought, the teenager agreed that his freedom was more important than anything else. "Perhaps I should let you go now, before it's too late. . .Maybe. . .M-Maybe seeing you happy could be the best memory I could have before I die. . ."

The girl slumped into a deep sleep after she finished talking, leaving a confused boy wondering what should he do at this point. Ranma arrived to the idea he could do nothing about it, but to listen. . .Listen and pray for Ryoga and his crazed idea to bring the cure safely home. "C'mon man. . .She don' have much time left. . .Hurry up damn it!"

"I can' take this no more!. . .Give me monsters, give me impossible odds, but to wait quietly and see how she wastes away day after day is somethin' I can' take. Maybe I'll end up with Shampoo or Ukyo. . .Hell, at this point even Ryoga sounds like a nice match, but you Akane. . .You are my first love an' the love of my life. . .I. . .I L-Love you. . ."

His hand carefully brushed her hair, noticing a few strands of gray probably caused by the treatment, but she looked so cute. . .So. . .Innocent. The room's natural light shrunk into those two teens, and before the boy left the girl rest, real tears of pain and anguish rolled down his cheeks just as his mind screamed why wasn't he able to say those three words out loud.

Ranma cleaned his face, bent down near her face and slightly touched her lips with his own, admitting his love for the girl would never go away. . .Even if he got to love someone else after all this hell would be over.


	3. Chapter 3

I know most if not all readers hate the warnings and notes writers make at the beginning of a chapter, and I respect that, but I will like to mention the highest of respect I feel towards a patient with cancer. I am still recuperating when three weeks ago my urologist found cancer inside my left kidney.

It was encased in a three centimeter cyst which helped me from getting chemotherapy or radiation, but I was rushed into surgery and believe me. . .Living without a big organ off besides going to dialysis is hard.

Anyway, all those readers that have this illness, relatives with the problem or friends, I respect and honor you for real. You are the heroes in our own stories, and I hope I won't disrespect anyone with what I'm writing.

Day after day, the mood in the Tendo Dojo dropped from the effort to save the youngest in the family at all costs, to the hopeless defeat when her health deteriorated rapidly. All, except Kasumi who stayed at all times pending for her sister, tended her every need from morning to late in the evening procuring all manner of health preventive issues with the hopes to lessen her agony.

Soun kept showering outside the house with the cold water on the faucet, and besides a bald man finding no way to help, and Nabiki which no one seemed to find, the pigtailed boy took over himself to care for the entire family's others responsibilities.

The boy woke up early in the morning, running at the kitchen and getting ready hot tea and boiling rice for the tired guests. When breakfast looked ready to be served, that's when he would go to the bathroom to prepare for another day at his fiancée's side.

Ranma would usher into the bathroom carefully, after making sure the door was locked firmly. Then, going to the mirror, he undressed to wash. The sight was something so humiliating for the Saotome heir, he had to look away every now and then to avoid his pride as a man vanish by the image.

Thanks to his keen eye and fast learning curve, he managed to memorize the way Ukyo dressed under her shirt, and how Akane had her wraps tightly covering her naked torso when they fought the Orochi. With the same masterful detail, the pigtailed boy unwrapped his own set of bandages around his chest, displaying at the end two mounds where it shouldn't be none.

The problem affecting his masculinity thanks to the curse slowly took away his manhood, leaving behind almost nothing "downstairs" while his manly chest almost reached a young girl's pectoral. "I swear. . .I'm almost as big as Akane an' I'm not even transformed." Joked the teen when his shameful body proclaimed the full effects of his female hormone treatment dominating his testosterone levels.

He quickly ignored the shameful boy staring back at him, dried the excess of water off, and set the bandages back, leaving the place with the idea to serve breakfast in time. When he was downstairs though, the middle Tendo already had full plates and the tea ready at the table, demonstrating she had been up a lot earlier than him. "Finally. . .Where in the hell did you go?" Asked Ranma annoyed by her lack of assistance.

"If you must know, I have other problems just like everyone here Ranma-kun. As soon as I had some free time I came to help, but believe me. . .Things can get much worse than this if I am not careful." The boy feared that could be the case, but there were bigger concerns when he exchanged looks between the girl and the room upstairs.

"I really hope you're right Nabiki. . .I don' think this house can take more hits." The ice queen couldn't help but laugh tiredly, clearing her throat afterwards and walking upstairs where her little sister remained bed ridden.

"Ranma-kun!. . ." Came the shout from the troubled and sick man outside the house rushing in. Soun walked with his trembling knees into the house, asking for the boy to leave and return as fast as he could. "The Chemicals Akane-Chan need are almost out, please go to see Doctor Tofu and ask him for more. . ."

Ranma didn't need to hear twice, leaving the training hall and sprinting towards the clinic in a matter of seconds. When he arrived, the place looked deserted with the exception of the door amply open. The teen walked in right as he knocked.

When he walked through the few rooms with medical devices and curtains, the last cubicle was the place where he found a very concerned Ono. "Yes!. . .I know how this works, but my patient needs the treatment. . .Ok. . .Yes, the clinic will be sold and the rest of the payments will be sent back to you. Please, I may be able to prolong her pain and agony a few more months, but without her chemo, she won't be able to survive the disease."

Ranma realized the effort the young man was doing for his fiancée was beyond of a regular doctor did for most patients. With his superior agility Ranma sprinted out of the clinic, leaving a note near the doctor's desk and rushing back home with more monetary problems than he wanted. "Damn it. . .Doc Tofu is almost out of money for the treatment, an' the house keeps gettin' debts after debts."

His idling thinking took him almost at the doors of the house where the mention of Nabiki's name hit the nail in a possible way to solvent the Dojo's expenses. The teen rushed into the house, promptly crashing in front of the bobbed haired teen's bedroom and opening her door without asking first.

"Hey!. . ." Came the complaint from the girl as her hands blurred away several documents she was working on. "Nabiki. . .I need ta talk with you. This is an emergency!" Both teens stopped arguing about his trespassing, deciding that concentrating on what he heard about her little sister's medical treatment was more important than their petty squabbles.

"Mr. Tendo sent me ta get more stuff for Akane, but I just heard doctor Tofu sold his clinic to solvent more chemicals for 'kane's treatment. . .You must have enough money ta help with the bills." Nabiki's eyes trembled in fear, forcing them to dance all around her room in a stalling manner while hoping the desperate boy urging for money would go away.

"I can't Ranma. . .I have nothing at all." Ranma found doubtful her own sister would refuse to help and act stingy after the situation they were in. After he could do nothing more to convince her, the pigtailed teen left her alone, worried how Akane's father would take the news.

"What!. . .He has no more medicine. . .Oh!, what am I going to do!. . .My poor Akane-Chan needs all the help we can get. . ." His alarming cries did nothing but stress Kasumi even more. Thankfully the eldest girl had closed the door from her sister's bedroom before all this could be heard.

Ranma-kun. . .There must be something we can do to get more medicine. . .Think!. . .Think of a way to save your fiancée!" The pressure the young martial artist felt was taking apart more than his sanity now. He could feel all the raging hormones fighting and devouring his mind with moody feelings of a female nature and the anger to lose his identity as a man.

Ranma was at a loss of words, leaving the only response he could give with his nodding head. "Good Ranma-Kun. . .Go!. . .Go! And find a way to get those medicine materials safely here!. . ." Soun was more concerned about his daughter, that was for sure, but what everyone ignored thanks to this situation, was the own personal problems slowly destroying who Ranma really was.

He kept pacing from side to side in the living room thinking of a way to get money. There was still the old ghoul and Ukyo with their restaurants. Of course, that meant forcing them to give they livelihood, but wasn't this an emergency after all?.

When the pigtailed boy walked decidedly outside the house and ready to open the gates, he almost crashed with three men dressed as cops and one with a trench coat and a hat. "Good afternoon. . .May I speak with Soun Tendo?"

Ranma blinked by the strange looking men who he had never seen before. With a scoffing nod he told them to keep walking into the house while he dismissed them with the goal to look for help. "I'm sorry young man, but your staying here with us." Ordered menacingly the police officer at the teenager.

He didn't want to make a bigger deal out of this and after seeing he had no other choice, Ranma clenched his teeth at the same time he led the men inside. "Mr. Tendo!. . .You have company!" When the men sat on the couches, the man in trench coat bowed respectfully at the man of the house.

"Hello. . .You must be Soun Tendo. . ." The patriarch nodded, but his brows clearly exposed asked what was the problem. "My name is Inspector Tanaka. . .Kouji Tanaka, and I'm in charge of an investigation led not long ago about a boy by the name of Kinnosuke Kashao and a young girl named Nabiki Tendo."

"I believe they were the culprits in an attempt to rob several establishments around Tokyo. There was a crashing helicopter near a populated building and even a third participant by the name of Ranma Saotome. It took us some time to find any clues, but just this week we managed to track a redheaded girl with the exact name and description living here, not to mention your daughter as the primary suspect."

Soun's face turned white in fear, noting how the girl in question peeked ever so slightly through her bedroom door while trying not to alert the authorities of her presence. The inspector turned to see the pigtailed boy, deeply interested in the rumors around town and after several officers swore who the boy was, the man in the hat turned his full attention at him.

"Ranma Saotome. I know it's impossible to say the least, but we have witnesses assuring us that you are that redheaded girl who worked as a waitress and used that strange disability to change looks and evade debts." Ranma gasped silently by the accusation, accepting all the things he loved to do as a girl were finally pointing at him as the guilty suspect.

"I. . .I tried ta stay, but Nabiki had ta be stopped!" Argued desperately the teen. The inspector shook his head sadly, walking closer to the boy and explaining him something about the law. "Son. . .Even if you may be guilty of something. . .You don't talk about it. First rule in these cases."

"Now. The reason you evaded us for so long is the amount of damages you and that girl did. Unfortunately the other young man disappeared from the hospital when we had him detained, but to make matters worse for you, he left Nabiki Tendo as his emergency contact."

That pretty much turned the table on the battle they had. Maybe Nabiki obtained the ten yen coin at the end of the battle, but Kinnosuke ended up winning the war after all. "Understand this though. Mr. Tendo is a very respected man in the community and his recognition has raised some high counsel members to ask for lenience."

"So. . .Ranma Saotome. You have one month to prepare your defense against a judge. The charge goes up to one hundred and fifty million yen. . .be ready." When he sentenced Ranma, the inspector turned to see the elder in charge, peeking every so often towards the door opening and closing by itself upstairs.

"Soun Tendo. . .Your daughter is accused to owe one billion yen to several establishments across the city of Tokyo and China. I am giving you two months to solve this incredible situation, in accordance to the several counsel members begging for a time limit."

After the police officers left several documents and official notes, they walked out of the house, leaving a completely lost family ready to be destroyed all the way to its core.

* * *

Beep, Beep. . .Beep. Click!

The strange sound became the annoying waking call Ryoga hated after a tremendous knock on his head sent him spiraling into unconsciousness. The strangest traveler on this world closed his eyes tightly for a moment, blinking rapidly afterwards when a soft hand passed a damp cloth over his cheeks and forehead.

The sensation was tender and firm, like whoever doing the healing knew how to treat a patient for years. When he let the hand pamper his headache, the boy smiled adoringly without thinking what he was about to say, making the situation a lot worse when his mouth released his indulging joy.

"Ahh!. . .Those hands are so soft and warm, I could swear it's you Ranma, but that's just impossible." The person immediately stiffed at the mention of that name, stopping her care, and avoiding her attempts to make him feel better. That was the cue for the teenager to react at the statement he so foolishly declared.

"N-No. . .It can't be!" Immediately Ryoga jumped from the bed, falling unceremoniously on the floor right before dragging his limp body all over until his back touched the opposite wall. There was darkness in the room except for a lamp firmly lit over the bed, and there she was. . .The girl hiding in the shadows, afraid from the reaction she knew it was bound to happen.

"W-Who are you. . .Show yourself!" The girl slowly raised her hands defensively, carefully moving from the bed to the switch by the door. When she flicked the interrupter, that's when all shadows vanished and the female figure turned out to be a beautiful woman with auburn hair and blue eyes.

"I. . .I know you from somewhere. . .Y-Yes!. . .You are Nodoka-sama, Ranma's mother, but. . .Akane told me your hair was different" Ryoga squinted his eyes again, focusing them with more detail over the differences and that's when the image made a lot more sense in his mind as a pigtail propped from the side of her mane. It was the Ranma he dreamed all those sleepless nights ago. . .Staring back at him with that sweet look of care and devotion.

"N-No. . .You're not her. . .You are Ranma aren't you?" The woman tried to reach for the boy, explain he was safe and how he needed some more rest, but something spooked her from getting closer, a voice so harsh, the woman felt the need to flee. "Honey!. . .Were are you?".

His steps were heavy and loud, almost like defying anyone who would want to hurt him or his loved ones. Suddenly the steps died down. . .Exactly outside the door. "I swear honey. . .If you're inside helping that idiot, I'm beating him into a pulp and leaving his unconscious body to rest another day or two!."

The much older Ranma drove her index finger to her lips, puckering them up and blowing quietly before she moved with such grace across the floor. "Shush!. . .Go back to bed Ryoga, an' stay put. . .Everythin' will be fine."

As she said that, the woman darted incredibly fast towards the window, opening it and leaving just as the knob on the door turned. Ryoga waited no longer, jumping on the bed and playing dead when the door opened and the light from the corridor made a shiny beam across the now darkened bedroom.

"Mm. . .I could swear. . ." He stopped talking after noticing the deep sleep the boy was in, chuckling for a second before he talked again and left him alone. "You need more practice faking it Ryoga. . .Whenever your ready come downstairs and we can talk. . ."

He closed the door behind, but his loud voice could be heard across the house when he called his wife again, this time using a more light tone. "Ranma!. . .I know you were in there. . .Next time don't wear perfume if you try to hide from me you dummy. . ."

Another door opened and closed, leaving no more noises coming from outside until a timid knock let him know someone else requested his presence. "Dad?. . .Can I come in?" Ryoga jumped off the bed, rushing to the door and pulling the girl before the ogre in the house would walk out of his room and scold the poor child to death.

"Sheesh Karen. . .Aren't you afraid of my other self?. . .He sure is a damn monster around here." The girl was in her PJ's ready for bed, but the honor to talk with her father at almost her age was something she wanted to do for the longest time.

"Don't worry dad. . .Daddy is so sweet and nice with us most of the time. It's just that sometimes we are a handful, but I know he means well. . ." The girl patted the bed, asking him hesitant to join her, but Ryoga felt awkward staying with a little girl alone in the room, that is until his mind told him who she represented.

"Well, I guess since you're my daughter is Ok, but no cuddling or other stuff like that Ok?" The girl nodded, moving at the same time to one side of the bed while the lost boy sat on the base of the same mattress.

"How did you do it dad?. . .I mean, daddy told us you would be coming in two months from now, but you changed the time table. How did you do it?" Ryoga stayed pensive for a second, thinking what triggered his effort to try once and for all, and when he remembered the incident in the tub with the younger Ranma, his eyes flew open and wide, realizing that was what went differently.

"I don't know. . .I had a fight with my Ranma, and when I left the house angry, all I saw was red. I wanted to kill him. . .To destroy everything in front of me, but out of all the hatred I began to think about Akane-san and her illness. Thinking and hating. . .Hating and thinking. When I finally saw how out of control I was, everything vanished and I appeared on that tunnel with pictures."

The younger girl snickered by the way Ryoga said "my Ranma". When he noticed her blush and after she mentioned out loud his mistake, his cheeks exploded with hues of burning red he hadn't felt before. "I-Is not like that!. . .What I tried to say is the Ranma existing in my time. . ."

Karen couldn't contain the laughter now, letting lose the biggest giggle she tried to hold until now. "Oh dad. . .I can't believe you blush like this. . .Only in rare occasions have I seen you like that, and that's because mom loves to surprise you with stuff like dates and dinners."

His eyes bulged by the idea of a romantic Ranma. Ryoga could not believe it now, but what made him come back to reality was the busy knocking on the door, alarming both teens at the same time. "Karen, dear?. . .Leave him alone honey. . .he needs ta rest an' you need ta hit school early tomorrow."

"Yes momma. . ." The teenage girl moved quickly from the bed to Ryoga's side, kissing him on the cheek and running to the door where the woman waited to tuck her in. Something brewed in his head now, and whether he wanted to reject or admit it, a feeling of belonging began to reign in his heart.

When Karen left the room, the timid eyes of the older woman peeked just for a glimpse, time he used to study her in detail. "R-Ranma?. . ." When she heard her name, the woman opened the door again, this time waiting patiently for the boy to make the first contact between them.

But this was not the Ryoga she learned to love, and that was the hardest part she needed to endure now that he visited the family. "Why?. . .Why would you pick me if Akane-san is your love. I just don't get it." Ranma bit her lower lip, peeking every now and then to the next room and daring if it would be Ok to tell.

When she felt the need to do so, the pigtailed woman opened her mouth just as the hoarse voice commanding authority could be easily heard through the thick wall. "Ranma?. . .Don't even think about it. He needs to learn with experience or he'll never understand what happened. . ."

The redhead grasped the door tensely, wrestling with herself about saying something or leave the poor boy with the doubt. At the end of her struggle, the door began to close slowly, and the woman simply said. "Know this Ryoga. . .I love you Ok?" With that, she closed it permanently and left, leaving Ryoga with more questions than answers.

Past bedtime, right in the wee hours of the night, the young traveler pondered amused by the fact eluding his mind. "What did I do. . .What in the hell did we do!?" His logic kept bringing up magic potions, cursed artifacts and even a fishing rod lying around, but it didn't make any sense.

"Even if I were to trap him again. . .I would never force him to live a woman's life. He is my friend now and I am at peace with his marriage with Akane-san, hell. . .I would push him to the church itself if he were to have cold feet. No. . .Something extremely powerful had to makes us go down this path, but what?"

Ryoga was no stranger to sleepless nights, specially after the dreams which now, had become reality. When he noted the light of a new day bath the room through the window, he realized this was it. . .The time to get all his answers.

With a nervous demeanor, the teen washed his face, brushed his teeth like always and after a while, he passed the door, pacing patiently between the bathroom and the fly of stairs. This house. . .He was threading lightly over the floor he used to walk on for the longest time either as a piglet or in human form.

"I can't believe the nerve. . .To live in the Tendo Dojo after all this time, even when Karen mentioned how rich I became, is just wrong. . .Poor Akane must be furious." Said with a tinge of jealousies right before grabbing the wall and started to go stairs down.

"I'd like to think she approves of this family Ryoga-kun. . ." Replied another voice from behind the teen. It was Ranma bright and early just as he was getting used to the place. Ryoga tensed by her presence, staying in place for seconds to end until the woman grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him gently aside.

"Sorry. . .But I need to prepare breakfast for Kara and Ranran." With that last warning, the pigtailed woman slid besides the boy who kept finding the markings on the wall more interesting than been polite and answer her statement.

After the moment passed, he sighed relieved, continuing his journey through a house he knew so well and yet, had many strange objects lying around now. Ryoga walked down, inspecting with curiosity several trophies on the wall and near the T.V.

"To the excellence of the mind and the body. . .Ranryu Hibiki, first place in the regional martial arts championship." When he read the inscription, a swelling feeling of pride began to inflate his ego. A smile slowly adorned his features when that strange sensation fulfilled his heart and out of the blue, the teenager began to dance on the floor, regardless of whom saw his display.

"Yes!. . .I have a son and a daughter who succeed in life!. . .I got family who are making a mark in this world!" With his fist raised high in the air and a triumphal pose, Ryoga congratulated himself for something that hadn't even happen yet.

From the kitchen though, the short, voluptuous woman peeked interested on his shouts. When she saw him so proud and happy, she felt the need to talk, maybe even interact like she always managed to manipulate him in the past.

"Yup. . .Ranran has won more than five Asian Karatedo championships, not to mention the first world championship last year. It was hard but he nailed it during the last Kumite against Natsuki Ibuchi." Ryoga jumped from his effervescent state and into the kitchen lured by the description.

There were no more barriers in that instant. The lost boy urged her to keep talking about his son while he looked attentive at her. The woman felt his interest refreshing, and after giving him a smile of "I got ya!" The older female kept talking and watching him go nuts.

"He grew a lot like you Ryoga. So stubborn and ready to defend others. Medals mean nothing to him, but seeing his father so proud just like you are now is an honor I can see in his eyes. You did it man!. . .You made a big mark in this world."

"Amazing!. . .He turned out to be someone special. . .That is just amazing!" Ranma could see that little something hurting her the most as she grew older with the lost boy. It pained her to see him so lonely and depressed and that's what he realized as well when reality set in the boy after his prideful banter.

"That's the missing piece isn't?. . .You took pity in me and went all the way instead of marrying Akane-san? Why would you?. . .I'm nothing but a screw-up and you had everything in your favor. . .Why would you destroy your happiness for the likes of me!?"

Ranma's mood changed suddenly, lunging in a flash near the boy and pinning him against the wall with her more than regular strength. "Stop it!. . .You "are" a good person an' if I chose you was because. . ." Ryoga waited impatiently for the answer, but it never came.

The woman had tears in her eyes, her lower lip trembling in ire and looking everywhere at the same time she struggled to just say it. . .But she didn't. She promised not to until he would be ready. "Anyway. . .Please Ryoga. Go and call the others for breakfast. . ."

The redhead let him go, making her way towards the kitchen appalled and sad. Ryoga could see the stern woman dragging her feet defeated by the argument, but what puzzled him the most was that change evading his mind.

This definitely wasn't the Ryoga she loved. When Ranma turned to see him, she hoped to see a mournful boy feeling bad for treating her like that. Instead she saw her old nemesis scoffing the incident as meaningless just like the old hardheaded teen she fought long ago acted.

The fanged boy kept walking out of the house without letting his eyes off of her, that is until the door arrived faster than he thought, hitting him straight on the face. "You Ok?" Asked Ranma half worried, half amused.

"Y-Yes!. . .I'm fine. Just mind your own business will ya?" Roared Ryoga, opening the front door and leaving the house angry. "I can' believe he was this stubborn. . .Is goin' ta be a hell of a month with two Ryogas ready ta kill each other. . .I hope everythin' goes fine."

Outside, the shouts his older version gave to his son could be heard all over town. An older and more crankier fanged man kept reprimanding Ranryu so loud, his younger version winced every time the boy tried to comply with his orders.

"I keep telling you Ranran. . .Focus more in the pre-emptive attack and forget the fight itself after you have all the advantage. . .Now. Come at me again." The teenager lunged at his father, using mostly his speed as a tool to avoid his gripping hands, but staying close and studying his movements.

"Good!. . .Stay focused and look for openings. Everyone have weak points in their techniques. . .You just need to find them before engaging." As he said that, Ranryu saw a small gap between his left arm and the way he swung his closed fist.

He knew his father deliberately left an opening for him to exploit, but the boy kept evading and searching for the right moment to strike. "No!. . .You know when and where. Why are you hesitating?" When the older man saw his doubt, he quickly dropped before his enemy, imitating the Bakusai-Tenketsu, but instead of activating it, he grabbed his left foot and the shirt at chest level.

"If you dwindle too long, your opponent will find your opening just as fast." Been said that, his brute strength sent Ranryu flying all the way to the Dojo's entrance, where his back crashed against the frame. The younger Ryoga fumed, angry by the bully he had become.

With his anger blinding his judgment, Ryoga lunged silently against the back of his opponent. Ranryu saw him get close enough, but his father simply turned around and held him easily with his flying open hand, stopping it in mid-air and holding his forehead in place. "Man. . .I can't believe I was this sloppy back then. See what I mean son?. . .Don't rush yourself, but act when the time comes. . ."

The older man released Ryoga from his hold, fact that didn't faze his anger, and without any warning, The younger version blindly kept his attacks up without a care of he would connect or miss. "Whatever old man!. . .I may not be a master like you, but I don't bully others just to show off."

The older man just evaded and waited, hoping for his son to find the full set of openings blind hatred made to a good fighter's technique. "There!. . ." Shouted again at the same time he darted so fast, Ryoga had no idea how to react but to cover his face.

"Damn it you idiot!. . .Don't close your eyes whenever you're fighting!" The mature martial arts master stopped teaching his son, and threw a simple straight punch directly at Ryoga's face. When he was mere inches to knock him out, a red and black blur flashed out of nowhere and pushed the kid aside, stopping the tremendous hit from damaging him further.

"Damn it Ryoga!. . .You promised you would go easy on him. Remember he is you!" The man stopped his attack in time, but when he saw the redhead so defensive over the brat, something made him pace at her side, and hug her dearly.

"S-Sorry Ranma. . .You know me. I got to teach them while I can. . ." The redhead accepted the apology, patting her man on the back understandably before sending them to the washroom. "Ok man, wash up and be ready. Principal Kuno promised to see Ryoga in school with Kara and Ranran. . .So, hurry up!"

The boy and his father rushed to wash and be ready at the table but the fanged teen took his time, pacing back and forth in the living room and when he was ready, the food was already served for them to eat. He knew Ranma ate like a monster, but when he saw the amount of rice, meat and sweet pork, he couldn't contain his laughter.

"I can't believe after all this time you keep eating like that Ranma. . .You sure are a pig!" He was about to laugh out loud until an open hand flew across his face, slapping him so hard, the piece of pickle he had on his mouth fell on the other side of the living room by the force.

He slowly turned back to stare at the man standing on the table, his hand extended and his eyes throwing daggers at him. Ranma's eyes were almost out of her sockets, completely surprised by the sound of the slap and the poor boy's head turning forcibly away.

A tear swell in her left eye and her teeth bared open like ready to pounce on the man, but she stayed put when her husband was ready to lay some rules he imposed for the good of the family. Ryoga felt the stinging, sharp and painful mark thumping loudly on his cheek, but his commanding presence made him pay attention instead of fighting back this time.

"Listen to me carefully. . .This is my wife's home and she is queen around here. Call her any names. . .Any type of bad-mouth calling and I'm breaking you in two. . ." The older man was furious, gaining the amazed looks from Ranryu and Karen who barely walked from the shower.

"Damn it!. . .Stop picking on him!. . .Remember back then we were barely friends, what did you expect him to call me?" Ranma was just as furious, leaving her seat and walking near the boy with a cheek redden by the slap.

Ryoga tried to reject her help, raising his hand ready to shove the woman aside until the flare in his older self's eyes told him not to. "T-Thank you. . ." Said the lost boy with a meek voice and looking to the floor ashamed.

"Better!. . .Remember this Ryoga. I may be you, but you can't move back without the cure for Akane, and I'm the only one who knows where that is. Play by my rules and I promise you can take it with you when the time comes. . .In the meantime, you are going to school until such time comes."

That was something he tried to fight, but everything was against his plans. When he stared at the redheaded woman, her teeth were openly visible and clenched, like if she knew how pushy he had become. Ranma wanted to say something, but his grown self stopped her, murmuring about company coming this afternoon and how they needed to leave the argument for later.

After the altercation, Ryoga enjoyed the food, admitting Ranma had really good taste and after Ranryu and Karen waited at the door, he forced himself to walk in front of her, bowing respectfully and thanking for breakfast.

"M-Mrs. Hibiki. . .I'm sorry about the way I behaved at the table, please forgive me. It won't happen again." The woman understood this was a forced attitude when his fang popped angrily, but she bowed back, accepting the apology, letting the teen leave for school.

"Sorry Ryoga, but he is doing it for a reason. . .Don' feel bad Ok?" The grown redhead gave him a small box filled with extra food just like her children had than, after patting his head tenderly, she let him leave while other matters needed to be resolved at home.

Minutes after the three left, a knock made both parents walk at the door. The older Ryoga opened it with certain trepidation, watching how Ranma's hands grasped his arm with just the same feeling. "Hello. . .Can we come in?"

Ryoga could do nothing more than run at the man, hugging him tightly before he switched to the woman with the same enthusiasm. "I'm so glad you came. . .I've missed you for so long." The man smiled at his demeanor, thanking him for his always attentive demeanor and walking with them into the living room.

Ranma was just as ecstatic, jumping like a little girl towards the kitchen and coming back with tea and cookies. "You guys have no idea how much everyone misses you here. I swear, if they knew you are here, all Nerima would flip around."

"We came as soon as you called us. How was he able to travel this soon though?" That was the biggest doubt everyone seemed to ask lately. The new couple who sat on the couch waited patiently for the man to explain it, but the older Ryoga kept drawing blanks with the explanation.

"Whenever I did something, a few minutes later those memories would be recorded in my mind, but I can't remember doing something differently to travel earlier. . .Is like he is still changing a pattern at the same time is living among us. It's hard to explain. . ."

The couple argued about their involvement in all this, but Ranma and her husband always kept the relationship reserved and hidden from others. "Not yet man. . .We need to let him understand why we are together and the risks he needs to confront."

"The reason we called you. . ." Replied this time the older Ryoga, making a pause for effect. "Is because if he hides from Ranma in the past, everything will change. I will not be here, Ranma and I won't be together and who knows, most likely Ranran and Karen won't exist"

All four grown ups talked about the consequences and how it would affect their lives. The man closer to the redhead kept insisting into force the boy to understand, but the older fanged man knew how stubborn he always was back then.

"He needs to take his own decision, and explain to Ranma the side effect of his power, otherwise everything will be for nothing." After they had breakfast and talked about the past, the males left to the Dojo for an old one vs. one while the women stayed in the house.

"Are you Ok?" Asked the woman to a pensive Ranma. "Of course. . .I sure miss many stuff, but living with Ryoga is the best thing that has ever happened ta me. Well, except for loving "you know who". . ." Both women laughed at the comment, arguing how things changed when one least expect them.

"Don't worry, I know Ryoga and you were made to each other. I always knew somehow and believe me I don't think Akane minds at all." Ranma felt the pang of an old love lost in time, but that same smile lit brightly when the lost boy accepted her choice all those years ago.

* * *

On the way to school Ryoga didn't care at all about studying, and what was even weirder, he wondered why did he need to go in the first place. "Are you Ok dad?" Asked Karen genuinely worried by his bolstered face from the slap. "Eh?. . .Don't worry about it. I've got worse beatings out there than what that old man could do."

Still, the girl's head swayed from side to side happily while her hands firmly grasped his sleeve. Ryoga could see the attachment she was getting with him, and the feeling was indeed reciprocated when his heart felt the thumping pride to have a little girl at his side.

"_It's amazing how I feel around them. I usually think of me as a waste of space destined to be alone in this world and now!. . .Now I have a boy and a girl. Maybe living with Ranma isn't as bad as I think_." His thoughts were innocent and true, but his mind kept pushing back the real reason why he was here.

"_N-No!. . .I can't afford to think like that. Akane-san counts on me and I must save her. Everything rides in that cure and I'm sure they will be fine. .. They have to_. . ." Kept thinking with a sour look Ryoga, when the possibility of his children not existing was a side effect from this plan.

Ranryu was going ahead of the two, but after the concerned girl showed some worry and his father stayed pensive, he opted to help him understand the rules. "Well, if you keep disrespecting mom, he's going to keep scolding you pops. . .Better act nice from now on."

The sudden change of voice and the tone of respect made Ryoga alternate his sights towards the teens. "_Damn. . .He is Ranma's pure image, and yet, I see subtle shapes of the Hibiki treat. Man. . .A champion in the family and one who doesn't get lost. . .That's just too good to be true_."

As they kept walking ahead, the lost boy nodded at his request, admitting dumbly how his actions defined who he was. He always respected others no matter if they were annoying or not, specially grown ups but to see his old nemesis as a grown and mature person was something he didn't expect at all.

"Yeah. . .I better be nice until I can understand what's going on." After the three teens walked around town, Ryoga noticed Dr. Tofu's clinic missing, and so other places like the restaurant Ukyo created from the ground and the Nekohanten. When he asked the kids, they simply shrugged and gave their own explanations.

"Tofu Sensei moved into the Akane Tendo research center a few years ago. Dad actually asked him to, and he attends sometimes the school for physicals or medical exams in the community." It made some sense for the boy who believed Akane's case was unique to treat.

"Miss Ukyo moved a long time ago pops. . .Before I was even born. Shampoo, although angry at mom and dad, she stayed a lot longer with the hope to take you away from mom, but when I was about seven something happened and she was forced to leave for good."

The future kept drawing blanks for the lost boy, who kept questioning how in the hell Ranma chose him over the other fiancées. It was just physically impossible for a manly boy who was trained to be a man among men to see another boy in a romantic manner.

It baffled him to think what changed, when Ranma always rejected him in the slightest of ways every time his manhood was threatened. For example, he thought. . .After the fishing rod incident, the pigtailed boy stomped him into oblivion after the lost boy hugged him instead of Akane and declared his love.

There were so many other times where Ranma acted so manly, Ryoga believed to be more emasculated by his magnetism towards either boys or girls than ever. And to be married to that reckless boy followed by many of the most beautiful women in Nerima escaped his sanity.

The path to the school soon became full of students from all ages. His son opted to go ahead when someone called his name, but what stopped Ryoga from following him were the young teens like Karen rushing near the girl, giggling and secretly whispering as they pointed at him with curiosity in their eyes.

"Is he really?. . .Ah!, but he' so cute!" Several of her friends couldn't resist the chance to walk close to the nervous boy. Ryoga stopped suddenly when three fourteen year old girls waved right on his face, giggling and cooing with the idea to call his attention.

The teen, somewhat reluctant, veered in place and watched how the teenagers were a bit rambunctious but polite, fact that calmed him down a lot. "Hi Mr. Hibiki. . .My name is Rei, Rei Tendo. Nice to meet you." The last name sent tiny sparks of curiosity into his brain. For a moment, he thought this could be Akane's daughter and possibly the only one capable to explain him some of his missing history.

"H-Hi. . .I'm Ryoga. Say Rei-san. . .Do you happen to be Akane Tendo's daughter by any chance?" The girl changed her demeanor drastically, turning her eyes to the side and slurring her tone of voice like trying to avoid the answer to the question.

"No. . .I never knew auntie Akane. Mom has talked about her since I can remember, but no one in the family has seen her in a long time." The boy took a deep breath, admitting his hopes shot down from her response, and after a friendly smile, Ryoga scratched the back of his head and restarted his walk.

"I see. . .Well, nice to meet you and I'll see you later Rei-san. . ." As he left the girl back with Karen and the others, he managed to hear a sigh the girl made when he left. That scared him the most, thinking how only girls in love would do that or in his case, boys sighing sternly when a pretty girl walked in front of him and ignoring his existence.

"He is so cute!. . .No wonder auntie Ranma love him so much!" Ryoga heard next. Those words made him inflate a bit, but the idea kept coming back about the male Saotome. . .Where on earth was that idiotic mule now days?

He kept rushing ahead, still scanning the street which at the time was filled with several dozens of students all marching to school. When he passed what it looked like a tiny park, his attention was drawn at a fight going on in plain sight.

This was strange to see, but Ryoga immediately recognized Ranryu on one side while five bigger and tough looking students were getting ready to beat him up. "Your fame stops here Hibiki!. . .Today will mark the day the true hentai horde gets rid of you."

The boy in question seemed tense an nervous, but his eyes. . .He kept moving them around as the other students walked side by side with an effort to confuse him and maybe take a cheap shot right before the brawl.

"Dad. . .Stay out of this Ok? . . .Ranran needs to stall them long enough for the girls to go and call a teacher." Said Karen with the hopes to avoid a worse situation. "But why?. . .A fight is a fight and no matter how many they are. . .Back then, there was no teacher or anyone else stopping them."

"This is different dad, Ranran is not allowed to get in a street fight or his record in the WKF would be harmed. He is a well versed fighter and if he beats them up, he'll end up loosing much, much worse." At this point Ryoga understood the rules of the game.

Once you become good at something and becomes official to the world, you must keep a line between ordinary people and a real opponent. "I see, well. . .There's not much I can do now but to help him. Look." The little girl followed her young father's pointing finger to one of the older students.

He was hiding behind three from the group, but he had a knife ready to stab the boy with when he least expect it. And it happened. The first three guys launched their combined attacks towards a busy Ranryu who was able to move gracefully around the park.

His moves mesmerized Ryoga, noting a slight deviation in the way Ranma avoids attacks, but instead of running away and regroup, he would stay in place and hit head on with trusting moves. The first two fell to the ground with a simple grab of their shirt and a pull so strong, they could do nothing but ran away and crash against the fountain, falling inside in a thud.

The third one did avoid any grab from the boy, giving him the chance to lean away and throw a heavy kick directly to his head. The attack almost connected, but it failed the second he stopped his foot in mid air. What Ranryu didn't count with though, was the fourth eighteen year old hiding the blade behind the kick and almost stabbing him on his chest.

The scene almost stopped in time, letting the fighter see the incoming shining blade, but when the knife was mere inches from his torso and there was nothing he could do to stop it, an old trick he had only heard came to life. That's what it looked momentarily when out of the blue, a yellow bandanna disarmed his hand so easily, the impact made the young man grab his hurt hand at the same time Ranryu pushed the flying foot away.

"Ok. . .Break it out right this instant!" Yelled a man with glasses Ryoga recognized as a much older doctor Tofu. The older students knew this would be big trouble so, after kicking the blade away, they left in a hurry while Ryoga went to see if Ranryu was Ok.

Before he could ask him though, the lost boy noted how the older man in glasses kept staring at him from the distance. There was some kind of measurement the doctor did with his eyes, scanning from head to toe the new arrival until Rei walked closer and whispered on his ear.

The man lit with joy, rushing at the amusing boy and shaking his hand vigorously. "Ryoga!. . .It's been so long. How are you feeling?" Ryoga tried to articulate the specific words to describe what was going on in this town, but he failed when his future son grabbed him from the shoulder, pulling him in direction to the school's entrance.

"C'mon pops. . .We need to get going. Dr. Tofu. . .Please, dad told me not to let anyone talk to him just yet." The older man understood immediately, waving away as he went after the sharp weapon. "Why Ranryu. He could have told me about Akane-san. . .After all, he was taking care of her before I jumped."

The Ranma look alike kept shoving him ahead, trying to keep him out of other recognizable faces before things could get worse. "Look dad. . .Pops wants to have a close discussion with you first. Let's go and after classes I promise you everything will be clear."

After they stayed course into the building, Karen rushed near her young father, grabbing his hand tenderly while Ranryu patted him on the back. "Dad. . .T-Thanks for the help back there." Ryoga felt that tinge again.

The feeling of fulfillment he searched for so long in all his adventures but unable to reach such happiness on his own. Karen's tiny hand grappled him tighter and sharing a look of sympathy for his heroic deed, she jumped up, pecking his cheek with some effort. Even her face looked so proud and flustered he started to believe this time's Ryoga must've been a real ogre, or someone with a bitter past.

There was some contact as a family, but individually they lacked a relationship as friends. Again, his mind began to revolve between what had happened to be with Ranma and why did he become an old, grumpy man seventeen years in the future.

A more mature tone coming out of nowhere snapped him from his idle thinking. He heard that voice before, but it eluded him the source when Karen let go of him and ran to the next classroom and Ranryu walked ahead, leaving the teen alone in front of other students.

"Guys. . .We have the fortunate luck to meet a new student. He will stay for a month mostly, but I believe it to be an honor to have him here. . .Please, could you present to the rest of the class?" Ryoga's mouth hanged open when a very pretty Nabiki with a business dress attended the local school as a teacher, that made much less sense for someone with the ambitions as high as the girl, but after the students went quiet, he cleared his throat nervously and bowed before the group.

"H-Hi. . .My name is Ryoga Hibiki and I will stay for a few days only. Nice to meet you." Nabiki smiled proudly at the boy, pointing afterwards to an empty desk on the back and going back to the matter about home economics.

Everyone seemed so attentive and awake, unlike the boys he used to know back in his time. Nabiki too acted so friendly and open it was hard for the boy to recognize the same person from the one living in the past.

Classes kept moving forward until there was a small recess before the real break. All the students fixed their books and stayed in their classrooms except for Ryoga who was called to the main office. He left without saying a word to anyone, still staring at Nabiki who just kept smiling dumbly at him.

"Principal Kuno is waiting for you Mr. Hibiki, go ahead while I leave some reading material for the rest of the class." After he left the room, he began to see a pattern wherever he walked. There was certain things like the water fountain suddenly vanishing from one place and appearing a few feet to the left.

"What's going on?" Wondered Ryoga in his mind until a hand patted him again on his back, this time a much older man than the students attending the school smiled silently at him. "Oh!. . .I see Mr. Hibiki has finally come to meet me. Very well, please. . .Come in and make yourself at home."

The office was a neat looking room with the regular main desk, a computer and several folders scattered on cabinets. What made Ryoga blink questioningly was the pattern activating small things even around the principal and him.

For instance. He saw how the man poured a steaming kettle over two cups. The aroma was rich and flavorful. . .Scent of lime and honey. Ryoga suddenly stopped smelling the relaxing aroma of the tea and his senses backfired by another, much stronger smell coming from the kettle.

"My. . .Don't you love the smell of fresh ground coffee beans in the morning. . .The smell is simply, sublime" Ryoga didn't care one bit about such matters, but there was something he kept staring at as the older director talked about memories he didn't even had with him.

"I must be honest with you young Hibiki. I was wrong for the longest time and I must admit, that hurts. "She" is one of the most valuable assets in this world and I fell short in seeing that way until you came and fought to the end. Believe me my young knave. . .If time could indeed move at my will. I would've fought to the death just to keep her at my side."

The lost boy kept blinking, completely lost by his speech. Although something was making sense. Something he considered a clue of sorts. "You mean. . .You fought for Akane-san didn't you?. Tell me! What happened to her. . .Why everyone hides that truth from me?"

Tatewaki froze by the mention of that name. He had promised his wife not to say a thing, but this young man twisted old wounds he swore never to recall after so long. "No you cur!. . .I am not talking about the fair Akane Tendo. I talk about my beautiful pigtailed girl!"

"You showed courage and devotion where I spit on her face and cast her aside. In the end you won her over, but in the transaction you lost everything. . .I admire you indeed young knight. Alas my time with my fair Nabiki is well spent, I must admit real love is what you did."

Ryoga's mouth kept hanging open and almost hitting the floor, understanding the school's director and the Ice queen were together, but what happened in the past no one wanted to say and that started to get in his nerves. With a growl of desperation the boy lunged over the desk and on top of the grown man, grabbing him from the slopes of his suit and lifting him so easily above his height.

"I'm getting tired of all this mess. Tell me what the hell did I do so I can fix it once and for all!?" his eyes flared with anger, but his voice was broken and shaky. Tatewaki Kuno saw pure rage for the first time, giving him a sense of fear he could not control until a teacher barged in.

"Leave him alone Ryoga!. . .He has nothing to do with our problems!" Admonished harshly Nabiki just as her hand pulled the boy away from the man. "Are you Ok Tate-kun?. . ." When the startled man nodded tensely, the woman grabbed the student by his wrist and pulled him outside from the office.

Ryoga kept being dragged outside the school grounds by a silent Nabiki. When both stopped by the entrance, she turned around and pointed a finger right up to his nose. "Listen to me carefully. Some of the residents in Nerima know who you are and why are you here. We all discussed the situation and although Ryoga-san never said why are you here now instead of two months from today, that's something I'll deal with him later."

"The point is how dangerous you are in this time Ryoga-kun. Didn't you notice how the smell of lemon tea changed to fresh coffee not ten minutes ago?. . .We all are aware there'll be changes in the main pattern every time you interact with someone here. The reason you sent yourself to school was only for you to acclimate to this place."

That was the point Ryoga missed for the longest time. His older self wanted him to get used to his sons. The plan was simple really, and he finally understood his desire to stay near the boy and the girl. "He wants me to love Ranryu and Karen. . .He wants me to have an attachment so I won't try to separate Ranma from him!"

Nabiki hated when she spoiled certain parts others worked so hard to implement, but this young Ryoga needed to understand all the advantages to have a family together and see how Ranma went all the way to be at his side regardless of his problematic gender issues.

"Ranma loves you Ryoga. She has proven it time after time, and believe me. When the time comes and you meet the real Ranma Saotome, you may hate what she becomes, but think in all the happiness you two have forged over the years."

The message was getting clear by now. Ranma did something so hard to believe, most people who knew him accepted his choice. The only fact left to know now was the incident causing the change. Before the boy could keep solving the puzzle though, the older teacher grabbed him by the neck and, after looking sideways, she planted a kiss directly on his lips.

Ryoga's eyes bulged and his nose flared by the sudden demonstration, but when the girl was actually enjoying the kiss, she snapped from the trance, plucking her lips away and fixing her serious attire. "S-Sorry Ryoga, but right now you're not Ranma's so I didn't cheat at all." With a smile she walked away without saying another word.

A confused Ryoga touched his swollen lips, deciding to wait by the school gates, until the bell rang and let all the students go free for the day. Karen ran out of the classroom with impetus. He could see how desperate was the girl to find him and when he waved from the entrance, the little girl darted at his side, hugging him for dear life.

"Dad!. . .I thought you were going to leave us." Ryoga tugged a forced smile up, kissing the girl on top of her head and watching how Ranryu rushed at his side with certain respect when he join them in. "Hey pops. . .How did everything go?"

"Fine Ranran. . .I. . .I think I'm getting used to all this change, but right now I'm. . .Hungry, let's see what your mom has for supper." Karen noticed a change as well, seeing how his younger father omitted any cussing adjective towards her mom, treating her more like family. "Great!. . .I'm starving myself. Let's go!" The way back made Ryoga sigh sternly, giving up on trying to find the truth and instead pay attention at what everyone was trying to show him.

A few blocks between the school and the house there was that same park from earlier. When the three walked by, those five students waited patiently for payback. Ryoga saw them before his kids, and before things would get out of control he walked towards the mischievous group ready to clear things up.

It was too late before Ranryu noticed his trajectory, but deciding to stop a possible fight, he rushed rapidly trying to reach them before Ryoga. "Pops!. . .Leave them alone. They're my problem. . ." Ryoga shook his head, extending his open palm and asking for his assistance.

"Sorry Ranran, but we are family and family fights together." His open palm wasn't alone much longer when his son grinned and slapped it in the air. Ryoga moved the hand towards Karen and the kid made the biggest smile, gaping with joy by his request.

"You mean it dad?. . .Can I really pitch in?" The fanged boy assented with a big smile of his own, and before the five assailants could see an easy target, three fanged teenagers lunged at them defiantly. Ranran stayed mostly avoiding the blinding attacks from two of the older boys while the girl enjoyed jumping everywhere and kicking another two of the five all over the place.

When the fifth stared at Ryoga, he didn't care for who he was until they clashed and right before he could connect a single punch, the last boy hit the concrete fence right behind them. All five students swallowed dryly when the giant wall separating the park from the street exploded into a million pieces.

"T-That's impossible. . .My old man told me only Ryoga Hibiki and that damn Ranma could do stuff like that. . .W-Who the hell are you?" Asked puzzled the leader of the group, but there was nothing but silence, leaving them with no other option but to slowly walk away and leave them alone.

"Have it your way Hibiki. . .You really are your old man's son." When they left, Ryoga, Ranryu and Karen ran away from the scene, hoping there wouldn't be repercussions from the fight, but certain their father would know about it eventually.

It didn't really matter anyway. The girl acted so at peace playing with his arm while Ranryu kept certain distance apart from the two after the fight, agreeing on how they were getting closer as a family. "You know Ranran. I think we need to practice some more. I bet we can beat the old man once we understand how he thinks."

The teen saw his desire to mingle as a father, and even when it felt weird when they had the same age, Ranryu nodded happily when this would be a chance to know a demilitarized father figure. "Y-Yes dad. . .That would be awesome!"

Ryoga felt that emotion linger deeper this time. He was getting used to these two, and that swelling sensation made him drag his priorities for the time being. When they arrived home, a busy Ranma served several plates on the table.

Ranryu, and Karen walked up to their mom, kissing her on the cheek while leaving towards the washroom. The fanged teen walked as well, staring at the woman who donned the biggest of smiles. With some trouble, the boy walked even closer, bent slightly down and kissed the woman on the cheek.

"We're home. . .R-Ranma-san. . ." Said the Ryoga with a blush on his face and his eyes asking for her immediate answer. The redhead snapped with a giddy grin, grabbing the boy by the shoulders and searching for his eyes.

"T-Thank you Ryoga. . .I really appreciate this." Both elder and young separated a moment later, letting the teen go and clean up while she finished setting the table and yell for the missing family member. "Ryoga!. . The food is ready!"

The older man kept working on his Kata, firmly acting in control and at peace. That's when he heard her voice calling and before he would react by it, the man stayed in stance one last time before supper. Everyone in the house felt the trembling and dense mass of energy surrounding the property.

Inside the Dojo, a massive green aura encompassed Ryoga as if he was powering up his perfect ShiShi-Hokodan. A moment later he defused the blast, stopping his tired body from the strain, and leaving the training hall for the day.

"W-What was that?" Asked the younger fanged teen at the trio on the table. "That's you Ryoga. . .At this time, your able to control and manipulate the ShiShi-Hokodan in its perfect state. I couldn't believe it myself, but we did it together a few months ago."

The explanation Ranma gave made the younger version look at her mesmerized. Despite whatever happened in the past, to have a present like this, maybe. . .Just maybe, they were really meant to be. "Ranma. . .Did I stop getting lost after we. . .I mean, after you and I. . .Um. . ."

The redhead chuckled at his hesitation, but it was understandable after all. "Yes Ryoga. You stopped gettin' lost once we got together an' worked forever on your ability. Believe me, it took us years before we adapted ta each other, and the fights were legendary, but we did it."

Ryoga tilted his head when his eyes crashed with hers. Those blue hue orbs always made him loose his mind and now they were so mature and wise, he began to smile dumbly at the same time his face turned a few shades of red.

Ranryu and Karen saw the love brewing in the boy, forcing their hands against their mouths with the idea to stop a loud giggle. Ranma couldn't stop either by his stare. She kept fighting the idea to run and hug him, but what made the boy snap back into reality was how the redhead looked to the side and a big blush across her face told him he was staring too intently.

He suddenly stopped, nervously looking down at the table and stuttering dumbly by his behavior. "S-Sorry Ranma. . I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable. . .I was just thinking how beautiful you look. . ." Too late did he realize what his stupid mouth had said.

With a slap of his own, he covered his mouth as his eyes flew open by the blunder. The others laughed, but the woman instead of getting upset, walked to his side, kissing him on the head. "Man. . .I sure missed ya Ryoga-kun."

"I sure missed ya too woman." Came the rude response from outside, stiffing every person in the living room. Ryoga stared fearful at his older self, ready to see him angered and ready to slap him some more, but the man simply walked at the table, sat right next to his woman and went for his plate. There was a tension between both Ryogas in that precise moment, forcing the younger to wait for his reaction.

The older man sensed this too, but he just shrugged his shoulders, offering next an open palm as he looked him straight in the eye. "Calm down boy!. . .I could never be jealous of myself, besides. . .That means you are getting used to the idea aren't you?" The younger Ryoga admitted he was loving this outcome, but his mind kept reprimanding him from doing so.

"But why?. . .I like Ranma a lot, you and I know that, but Akane-san. . .We swore we would save her and make her happy didn't we?. . .Ranma loves Akane and she does loved him. You and I are witness of that love. . ." Rebutted the young fanged teen to his more mature self.

"And he still does Ryoga. Ranma's feelings will never change for Akane-san, that! I learned over the years, but something happens and thanks to this beautiful woman sitting right next to me, I can tell you. . .I've never been this happy in all my life." Both young and old tried to see the bright side in the situation until the younger boy backtracked for a moment and opted for a more drastic solution.

"Fine. . .I'll accept Ranma could love and accept me, and that I consider it an honor, but first I want to talk with "him". . ." That was a point they hadn't touched yet. The older man hoped it wouldn't come to this extreme, but it sure looked like there was no other way to satisfy his doubts.

"So. . .You want to talk with Ranma as a male?. . .You want "him" to explain you why would he chose you over Akane-san, Ukyo or any other girl after his training as a man?. . .Well, fine with me, but you need to ask my wife first. . .She is the only one capable to let you try."

Ryoga kept playing with his tea cup, watching how the steam told him it was warm, but not hot enough to burn the woman. Still, he didn't do a thing until his eyes darted up and watched at the hopeful redhead waiting for the question.

"R-Ranma?. . .Would it be Ok if I talk to you as my friend?" The woman tugged a tiny smile up, thinking nervously how everything could be lost after this, but when she thought about her children waiting for his conviction, she nodded at him, accepting his request.

"S-Sure Ryoga. . .But remember. Despite what you see. . .I love you and I always will. . ." The woman sat comfortably, closed her eyes and waited for the splash of warm tea on her face. The older Ryoga simply moved back and rested his back on the wall while his two kids tilted their heads puzzled.

The younger fanged teen grabbed the tea cup, balanced it in his hand and was ready to throw it until the anticipation made him think twice. "I-If you don't want me to I can understand Ranma. . .I don't want you to feel bad." Begged hesitantly the teen.

With her smile still held high, the woman saw his doubt, knowing how his feelings always were present when someone else could get hurt. "It's Ok man. . .I think is time for you ta know why we became such a good couple. . ."

She looked at her husband at the same time the younger traveler grasped the cup, retracted it back and then tossed it on top of her. The transformation was fast as always, but different at the same time. The younger Ryoga was speechless by now, unable to muse one word and pointing at the transformed Ranma with questioningly looks he could not avoid.

"B-But. . .How. . .Why. . .I mean. I don't get it. . .You are, well. . .You look. . ." His stuttering kept going for a few more seconds, and despite his eyes bulging immensely, he noted Ranryu and Karen starting to eat like nothing happened out of the ordinary. "Ok. . .This is going to be hard to understand."

"I couldn't agree more Ryoga" Said Ranma as she patted the table nervously. "I couldn't agree more."


	4. Chapter 4

**Now**

Things couldn't get any worse for the residents in the Tendo household. After so much mischief, Nabiki managed to slip away from the law thinking she was above it, but it finally caught up to her lies and it couldn't be in a more distressed time for the family. The big mistake?. . .Battling against a boy who was just as stingy but who in the end turned out to be smarter than the ice queen.

What was worse is how Ranma tried to ease the blow at the beginning of the fight by working as a bunny waitress in the first restaurant the spending couple used as a battlefield. When they moved to the next arena, Ranma thought it would be so easy to transform back from the redhead to his manly form, leaving the debt unpaid but it looks like that backfired as well.

"One hundred and fifty million yen!. . .How in the hell am I goin' ta get that kind of money. . .?" Ranma fumed because the one with the fault hid cowardly in her bedroom while he had one month to prove his innocence or be incarcerated for an amount of money he wouldn't even dream to ever get.

"Indeed this is a big pickle M'boy. . .I think we should make ourselves scarse. . .If you know what I mean. . ." Said his father with a few shoves of his elbow in his ribs. " An' leave Akane alone in this stage of the illness?. . .No way pops. I'm stuck an' if there's no other choice, I'll go happy to prison as long as I can stay at her side."

Ranma felt the weight of the family on his head now. Not only his fiancée was about to perish if there wasn't a possibility for a cure. . .Now, his sister-in-law was accused to owe one billion yen, sum that kept escaping his understanding about money.

There was no chance he could get what he owed either and to make matters worse, his manhood slowly slipped away and he could do nothing to stop it from happening. With so much pressure, the pigtailed teenager decided a walk could help him feel less stressed by all this.

"I'll be back. . ." Said before leaving the house and walking towards that old bridge he always used to ponder about his life. When he arrived, the serene current of the river underneath the bridge instantly calmed his desperate demeanor, letting him think on other matters he had forgotten.

"Damn it Ryoga. . .Where in the hell are you?. It's been more than a week an' you hanven' come back from wherever you are." Ranma had Akane's love constantly in his heart which comforted him in times like this. But the idea to loose her turned out to be a lot more damaging than he wanted to admit.

There was the idiotic idea Ryoga had about him, but he obviously would never think about the lost boy in any other way but as a friend, or so he kept telling himself that. . .Still, He noted his worry for the other boy capable to understand his troubles wasn't exactly friendly wise.

"Damn hormones!. . .Ever since I change into a girl, I get those cravings for parfaits and a stupid need to dress up. I swear. . .If Ryoga don' come back in time, either Akane won't make it or I'll fail as a man. . .Or both." His last sigh was startling interrupted when a wooden sword patted him on the shoulder.

"There. . .You are, Ranma Saotome." It was Tatewaki Kuno catching his breath tiredly from looking for the pigtailed boy all over town. "Kuno?. . .What are you doing here?" The older boy moved back into his prideful pose, brushed his hair to the back with his fingers and acted like he wasn't tired at all.

"I've been looking for you of course!. . .I, the blue thunder of Furinkan have a great surprise for the fair Akane Tendo." Ranma's eyes lit brightly when he remembered if any other person would be rich enough to help his fiancée, that would have to be him.

"As we speak, the fair Miss Tendo has received all manner of medical support from my personal caregivers who met Ono Tofu to help in her recuperation." The Saotome heir was tempted to jump and hug him, mostly by the sheer amount of hormones his body was so bombarded with.

He barely managed to run at him with his open arms before he moved back and simply patted him back on his shoulder. "Thanks man. . .That sure will help Akane with her treatment. . .I should go an' see how is she doin'. . ."

Before he could walk away though, the swordsman stopped him with his bokken, letting him see he wanted something in return besides the safe care of the sick girl. Ranma thought this was a meaningless point after knowing his fiancée had what she needed and so, he stopped, waiting patiently for his request.

"Ranma Saotome. . .A few days ago I told you about my understanding of this magical curse. Well, you must thank Nabiki for that, but besides all the past we have shared, I have a proposition you may be very interested to consider."

The blue-eyed teen tried to think of any type of favor Kuno might be interested to share with him, eluding the possibility of his curse as part of the deal. After a while he just shrugged his shoulders unknowingly and told him to go ahead with this so called proposition. "I want. . .You, Ranma Saotome."

"Give me the pigtailed girl as my unconditional love and I will fight for the charges impugning you as a thief." When Ranma heard the proposition, a dizzy fit flew into his eyes. He guessed Nabiki mentioned his involvement with the restaurant incident, but how pray tell, could his curse work in the deal?"

"Can you explain that ta me a bit slower Kuno-Senpai?" The Kendoist took a deep breath, focusing solely in his way of thinking and whispered in his ear the clause he had been working for so long. "Stay a girl forever Ranma Saotome. Give me the pleasure to date my tea kettle girl with no chance for your male side to ever exist in our lives."

Ranma understood his plan in more detail now. Kuno actually wanted to suppress the real Ranma, letting the curse act as the only body for him to ogle. He knew the changes in his male body worsened, but to leave another male use him was just too absurd to accept. "I don' think I'd like that Kuno-Senpai. . .After all, I am Ranma Saotome an' the curse is the third wheel in my life. . .Save yourself from trouble an' just leave me alone man. . ."

Kuno decided to leave him as he asked for now, but as he walked away from the double gendered teen, he mused a few words of consolation before leaving him with his thoughts. "Remember Ranma Saotome. . .The pigtailed girl could be the salvation for a life in prison. . .The sacrifice doesn't look that steep if you ask me. . ."

His head kept zoning in and out from all the chaos falling in at once. He had Akane to think of. . .Ryoga with the cure in some improvable future and now, a boy who until recently thought his curse was a totally different person. "I swear. . .This keeps gettgin better an' better."

After he realized there was no peace or calm under the bridge, Ranma took off towards the Tendo Dojo with hopes to see a better looking Akane awake and ready to have some company. The way back was uneventful Ranma noted.

No sudden Shampoo or Mousse running across the street in search for dates or fights. It seemed as if the day cut him some slack and let the anguished boy enjoy a bit of freedom before dealing with the pain to see his girlfriend dying.

When he arrived, his mouth almost hit the floor when pretty much everyone was accounted for. Ukyo had taken the kitchen by storm, fighting with the Chinese girl for the title of best cook and preparing an endless supply of tasty dishes Genma and Soun promptly accepted happily.

Mousse stayed with his brooding mood, keeping his hands hidden on those big sleeves, and the girls from school cheering a shy Akane in the living room. "Son-in-law. . .Any word from Ryoga?" Asked Cologne who was right besides Ono discussing the girl's illness.

Ranma felt a bit too crowded, but with some trouble he slid right among the guests, walking near the Chinese elder and the medic. "No. . .It's been almost two weeks an' there is no news if he made it or if he's even alive. . ."

"Oh indeed Ranma. I told that boy to be careful on matters such as time, but it's like someone says something important and the young people now days do the exact same opposite." The tiny old woman clicked with her tongue demeaning Ryoga's luck away, and dismissing much success for something so unpredictable.

"I'm afraid the boy won't come back from this journey, but more importantly. . .I see the curse has made drastic changes in you." When the Amazon elder mentioned something the pigtailed boy didn't want to talk about, she prodded his chest with the staff, showing him how even with a tight set of bandages, his raising upper torso could be easily seen.

"Damn it old ghoul, I ain' got no time to deal with that, but if you have some kind of cure, you could tell me how to fix it." The elder shook negatively, giving no hopes to be cured by any means. "You still don't get it. It's called a curse for a reason."

"Although the effects you have are rare and sporadic, all the humans affected by Jusenkyo must undergo a transformation. My granddaughter has some instincts from her feline curse and so is Mousse from being a duck. . .You have a more sensitive effect, one I never thought the curse could ever do, but I can always be mistaken."

Ranma scoffed angrily at the explanation, knowing this would be more complicated than what he expected when foreign emotions played another big role in his transformation. When he let the adults talk, Cologne and dr. Tofu went back to their original conversation. "As much as I think about it young man, I believe this illness is something a lot stronger than any other ailment I have ever seen."

"I agree. . .I have researched all the books at my disposal and none describe a type of cancer so unpredictable and ferocious. Fortunately I did find a treatment capable to accelerate the healthy growth of cells in her body."

The old lady nodded by his findings, humming every now and then when Ono showed her a scroll with several ingredients. "I see. . .Acupuncture and ancient medical herbs combined could indeed help her prolong her life. In fact, I have some of these rare plants back home, let me hop right to it and I will be ready with all you may need."

Before she left though, the old woman turned one last time, stopping near the pigtailed boy before leaving and asking him about the lost boy. "You know son. . .I think your giving much credit to someone who might not even be back in months. . .Why don't you forget about him and support little Akane Tendo morally?"

This time something clicked deep inside, something compelling him to stand up and stare at the old woman with anger in his eyes. "That damn idiot has the cure you hear. . .He "must" come back. . .He "will" be back!" Cologne shrugged unimpressed, turning her back away from the euphoric teen and hopping out of the house.

"You sound so desperate son-in-law. . .Who are you trying to convince, me. . .Or you?" After she left, Ranma had no other choice but to deal with the others staring back at him puzzled. Akane looked tired but happy when she saw him after several days of sleep and weakness.

After asking Kasumi for help, the girl left the same couch she used to rest most days in the living room to walk outside the house after she thanked her friends for the visit. "R-Ranma? Can we talk for a moment alone?"

The pigtailed boy promptly walked at her side, grabbing the girl by the arm instead of the elder sister who acted as her sister's walker, and the two of them left the present company for a tiny stroll around the garden.

With some difficulty the youngest Tendo sat right outside the Dojo, and looked up, enjoying the nice afternoon light. "Ranma. . .What do you think of Ryoga-kun?" The question didn't register in the boy's mind, specially when he tried to find the courage to tell her those three words evading his speech.

"Who. . .Ryoga?. . .That damn idiot decides ta jump with an unfinished technique an' now we don' know if his dead or alive. What else can I think of, but 'bout the cure he's supposed ta bring" The girl giggled softly, blushing ever so slightly after her question wasn't really answered.

"But about him. . .Do you think he's. . .Cute?" Ranma blinked completely lost by the question this time, stuttering and looking everywhere except at her eyes. "I. . .I don' know. . .Maybe?. Why would you ask me that?"

"I don't know. . .Lately I've been thinking about all the boys here in Nerima. Kuno-Senpai is a pain, but if you see past his flaws, you can see he tries to be nice. . .Remember how he even treated you with respect in your date."

"There are others like Picolet Chardin, which if I remember right you lost to him, and owe a daughter's hand. Yohyo has feelings for you as well and even though you never saw each other again, his letters arrive from time to time."

Ranma's eyes darted towards the girl trying to understand what did all this had to do with their relationship. "You see Ranma. I have known you for the longest time and I know the small subtleties you have. There is one way to blame the curse and another to embrace it."

"That's why I'm asking you. . .Ryoga-kun is a dear friend of mine. He is kind, responsible and would give his life for either me. . .Or you." Again, the last paused comment made Ranma so uncomfortable, he felt the need to pull his shirt nervously.

"F-Fine!. . .I know how this looks but even if I feel somethin' for him, I can' act on it. I. . .I love. Well, you know. . ." Akane closed her eyes, donning a smile that could melt anyone. She wanted to make sure there would be a link with her dear friend before the imminent arrival of her death would make her fiancé a bitter man.

"Just think about it Ok?. . .I know Ryoga-kun has feelings for you as more than a friend, and when I leave this world, I don't want to leave two lonely boys. I know what I'm insinuating, but remember. . .You are more than just a man. . ."

The girl opted to rest her tired head on his shoulder, leaving the boy to think on the possibility. Ranma had a fleeting sensation he didn't want to delve for her sake. With the same devotion he had for the girl, the pigtailed boy kissed her head, demonstrating what he wasn't able to say.

"I'll think 'bout it. . .But don' count on it." After they took a few more minutes enjoying the breeze of a dying day, the girl asked to be moved back to her bedroom when her aching body began to feel a lot colder. Kasumi rushed in, helping him decidedly while the visits began to leave the house.

After Akane slept comfortably, Ranma left her once again, knocking on the room next door, and stepping into Nabiki's bedroom. When he entered, the first thing he saw were several stacks of papers the middle Tendo argued about.

"Ranma-kun. . .I know my fight took a turn for the worse, but he was supposed to pay all. That was the deal when I won the bet!" For the first time ever, the pigtailed teen noticed a trapped Nabiki looking for a solution no amount of blackmail would free her from.

"I have saved, worked and even bet for years and I can't even meet one percent of that debt, not to mention what you owe. . .H-How am I going to solve this?" Ranma was at a loss again. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled defeated when money was a thing he never thought at all during his life.

"I don' know Nabiki. . .What's worse. Akane is getting sicker, you an' I may end up in prison before she. . .Well, you know. An' the funny part is how you'll go to a female only facility. . .How do you think I'm goin' ta fare against a whole mass of killers and rapists when they know I turn into a girl."

The ice queen gaped fearful when she heard the point. She tried to rub his arm, trying to look understandable, but to be a woman among so many rough men was going to be suicide. "I. . .I don't know how, but I'll find a way to right this you hear me?. . .There has to be a way to, at least save you from my mistakes."

The Saotome heir accepted there was no other option but to go peacefully. He only asked for the girl to try and beg for more time. . .Until he could see his love before the inevitable would come. "Face it Nabiki. . .We're screwed. . .Unless. . ."

Both stared at each other, the girl asking with her trembling eyes while the boy shook his head vehemently. "No. . .No way in hell. I mean. . .Kuno wants me as his girl twenty four seven in exchange to save me from prison, but I ain' letting him use me that way. . .It's just not fair!"

The middle Tendo thought about it, finding her lessons paying off despite an outcome she didn't forsee right away. "Well, think about it Ranma-kun. What would you prefer. . .A boy you can easily manipulate as a woman, or hundred of tough guys ready to treat you in more ways than the ones allowed by the law?"

The proposition sounded a lot more understandable now that the girl exposed it like that. Ranma bit his lower lip, pondering about the chances he could use to keep the Kendoist at bay while still being able to see his real love.

"If you see it like that, I guess it looks a lot better. . .F-Fine, I'll talk ta him an' I'll ask if he can help us both. In the meantime find other solutions for the money we owe. . ." Nabiki assented with the boy, watching him leave the room pensive while her stack of business deals stared back at her.

"This is going to be impossible, but here goes nothing." Letters with blackmail information, calls to teens owing her money and even the occasional prize from tournaments won from other schools betting against Ranma made a nice incentive, but to cover the minimum amount asked by the bail? never.

The next day Ranma left the house without saying a word. The boy stepped lively towards the biggest house in Nerima. "Damn it. . .What in the hell I'm doin'. . ." Were his words when a future life as a forced lover, specially for another boy, would be the most shaming display he had to take upon himself.

"I swear. . .I would accept Ryoga as my boyfriend than Kuno, but the idiot is lost an' there's no much I can do else." His monologue took him ranting all the way to the dark home where passing a missing Kodiachi's pet was easy enough before threading lightly into the house.

The door seemed unlocked, so he walked without asking. He knew the interior from previous visits, but the thought to be alone with "him" made Ranma's skin crawl. "Kuno-Senpai?. . .Are you there?" Asked the boy a bit startled by the lack of sound.

When he realized no one was home, he turned around ready to leave when a splash of cold water transformed him into a beautiful redheaded teen. "My tea kettle girl, thy hath arrived to my humble abode!" Ranma tried to snap from the trance in time, but his arms were already groping her chest with such euphoria, her skin crawled even more while a tinge of purple ran across her face.

She bared her teeth angrily, but this was the reason of her visit in the first place, and without moving a finger, the reluctant redheaded teen simply let the boy grasp everywhere uninterrupted. Several seconds turned into ages for Ranma who felt those harsh fingers rub, scratch and prod her skin with no reservation.

When she was about to quit, that's when the older boy decided to take his leave. He let go of her, making the girl think that was the extent of his attack, but when he swirled around and stared at the blushing damsel, his arms stopped working and flailed towards an unsuspecting Ranma. He brought her closer to him as his lips mashed forcefully together. A feeling of repulsion made Ranma use her arms and push herself away from his clamping kiss unsuccessfully.

"Mmff. . .Damn-mmff. . .Damn it. Kun-mmff. . .Kuno!. .. That's. . .Mmff. . .That's enough!" The older boy carefully let the girl go, smiling slyly when he felt in charge of the situation. "What is it my beloved pigtailed girl. . .Are my frantic ministrations too much for the woman of my dreams?"

Ranma was feeling the burning sensation of his rubbing lips. The swelling felt incredibly demeaning, but she had came for a reason, thought embarrassed Ranma. Using her better assets to her advantage, this time she was sure to conquer the poor sap just like she had done with others. With a sway of her hips and a smile asking for more, the pigtailed teen walked towards the boy at the same time she played hard to get.

"I thought 'bout your. . .Proposition Kuno-Senpai, an' I am really interested "if". . .You include Nabiki in the deal. . .What do you say?" Asked at the end as she blew a kiss with a sensuous wink. "I see. . .Well, my flower. I think that would be a good deal "if". . .You succumb to my wishes."

"Is the detestable male Ranma Saotome a thing of the past?. . .With my tea kettle girl at my side unconditionally, I will be in possession of the greatest gem in the world for as long as I hold your debt as mine. . .Is this thou wish then my darling?" Ranma felt dizzy and almost out of air when the salvation for the middle Tendo and her debt was at the hands of this new perverted boy. The redhead tried to see the deal as the best escape, but to be ogled and used by him sure made the deal a lot harder.

"I agree. . .But answer me this first Kuno. How come you acted so mature and nice on our date, an' now you get all touchy an' stuff?" The question made the blue thunder inflate with pride and stare at her silently. "Easy enough my beautiful goddess. . .When I dated you, I had the image of pure perfection. A girl worth of my stature and the only one capable to satiate my needs with all the respect a beautiful damsel deserves."

"But now I see you are really a man. . .A man playing with the feelings of others, and thanks to your misguided attempts to sway my innocence, I believe 'I' the blue thunder must bury away that monster while I take you, the girl as my prize." Ranma understood how he became a lot more dangerous once her secret was reveled, accepting that perhaps being a sorcerer was the better choice for this misguided guy turned enslaver.

Ranma hoped this would be the best way to solve her immediate problems, but it looked like things were about to get worse. "Fair enough. At least let me stay at Akane's side. . .Let me fight for her an' then, I will come to you."

The older boy agreed, letting the girl leave with no other interruption but a prompt kiss she detested above anything else and a slap on her butt. "That" made a tear of shame swell in the corner of her eye, admitting this was going to be a really bad move. Ranma of course seethed by the diminishing treatment, but there was no other choice, letting him act like that while she simply walked away silently, leaving the damn house in a hurry.

"_Am I doin' right?. . .I'm a man after all!. I could beat the tart out of him an' make him see who I am, but what 'bout Akane, an' How else can I solve that stupid debt?. . .Damn it Ryoga, I hope your Ok, 'cuse things are getting' out of hand in here_."

When she almost reached home, the revulsion set back in the base of her throat, forcing some of the stomach acids to try to erupt when she found the deal repulsive and unfair. "_I got to think of somethin' before I end up a damn wife for that demented_."

When he arrived, the change back to male was instant, but unfavorable when the few deformed parts of his new body screamed the feminine nature of his new form. With a blaring growl, the boy set aside all personal matters and put a fake smile before walking out of the bathroom ready to attend his real love.

* * *

**The Future**

Beep, Beep. . .Beep!

That damn alarm started to get in Ryoga's nerves by now. It was almost five in the afternoon and for some reason the clock would go off either during the day or early in the morning. That was annoying alright, but this time around, the sound was loud and clear across the dinner table where the Hibikis enjoyed supper.

Ranran and Kara ate comfortably just as their father enjoyed the always flavorful miso soup Ranma was so famous to cook. But across the table, the younger version of the same man couldn't keep his eyes away from the only mature woman in the house.

He used to know her as the devil itself, prancing proudly around town as either a chick magnet or a beautiful redheaded girl enticing men alike. This time though, time affected him in ways no one would see possible, and after seventeen years, Ryoga discovered a change he, of all people, didn't expect from such teen.

"I. . .Um. . .Y-You look. . .Different Ranma." His eyes kept branding the image of the person in front of him right in his mind. With timid eyes and tilting his head asking for permission to stare, the boy begged Ranma for a chance to study this transformation.

When the woman assented nervously, he slowly dropped his eyes towards her slender neck, than to those big breasts most men were attracted when they had no idea she was really a man. Ryoga swallowed visibly when her heaving chest made him blush profusely.

"S-Sorry. . .I don't mean to stare Ranma-san, but. . .I. . .I-I don't understand. . ." Ryoga decided to stop looking at her torso, jumping all the way up where her black hair screamed in his head she was actually transformed by the hot tea, but the results were just about the same.

"Alright you guys. . .Let's Ranma and my other self talk this out. Besides, you two have homework and we need to talk about the fight you had a few hours ago." Kara and Ranran skipped startled by his announcement, but knew someone was bound to call him about it, not to mention the exploding wall Ryoga used to scared them.

Both teens stood up with their empty plates which they took to the kitchen, wash them and walked upstairs towards their respective rooms. The older Ryoga stood as well, walking outside just after he asked. "Are you sure everything will be Ok?"

"Sure honey. . .We need ta talk an' then I'll call you back." The grown man bobbed slightly and walked to the Dojo where a nice Kata could relax him a bit more. Finally, the woman and the teenage traveler were alone on the table.

Ranma preferred to leave her half full plate aside, taking her still warm tea and wait for all his questions. Ryoga noted they were alone and that's when everything broke loose. "Ok Ranma. . .What the hell is going on!"

"I splash you with hot water and all I see is still you as a girl, just a bit taller and with dark hair. . .What gives?" The woman sighed defeated by his puzzled look, getting up and modeling her beautiful body around in such a way, Ryoga admitted there was no change except her height and hair color.

Finally she stopped, sat back by the table and began to painfully tell her story. "Remember that incident we had in the bathroom when we almost fight, but when we got up from the furo you saw me naked?" The boy recalled that specific moment, since that was the time forcing his escape into the future.

"Well. . .A few weeks before that incident, I began to see a pattern every time I changed with the curse. That pattern started ever since I became a girl, but when I understood the symptoms it was too late, and the only way to find the solution was through doctor Tofu's help."

"He gave me several tests, checked me in a rigorous schedule and reached the conclusion that every time cold water transformed me into a girl, an enormous amount of estrogen bombarded my male form. . .Imagine for a moment this Ryoga."

The girl took a sip of her tea, giving some time for the boy to be ready for her example before she could continue. "There are men who want to be women at some point and they undergo treatments with female hormones. At some point those treatments work and many physical changes turn a regular looking male into a more feminine version of himself."

"Now imagine a heavy dose of those same hormones every, single time I get splashed. Imagine being transformed on a daily basis and even twice or more times a day. Those doses of hormones affected and destroyed the reproduction of testosterone in me. . .By the time Dr. Tofu tried to find a solution it was already too late."

Ranma kept explaining how the illness attacking Akane buried any chance the boy had to search for help elsewhere. She was dying and the only chance to save her was him using the most absurd of plans. "I saw you leave, but you left me tendin' a dyin' Akane Ryoga. . .I had no chance ta fight for my problems because I gave everythin' ta save her in time."

"I won't tell you what happened next about her, but by the time you an' I got together my male body changed completely. My chest grew as big as my curse has hers. . .And, you know where, stopped working altogether, leavin' nothin' left of who I used ta be. A few years later we decided to undergo a special surgery and since then I am female whether I get splashed or not."

Ryoga followed every step of the explanation, understanding how things turned out back then. "That's what made us be together?. . .You stopped being a man and I accepted you right there and then?" The redhead shook her head disapprovingly, taking another deep breath before getting ready to leave the room.

"No Ryoga. . .We accepted each other for real, but I admitted loving you almost a month after you returned back from the future. . .A second time. I can' tell you why, but yourself is going ta talk long and hard 'bout what's ta come man. . .Be patient an' listen ta him carefully."

The woman walked at the door, letting the older man in as she left the house for the time being. The older Ryoga walked near the boy, sitting around the table and staring straight across of himself. "Alright Ryoga. . .From now on nothing but the truth. . ."

This was it. Finally the blindfold was about to fall and with it, all the secrecy everyone had over his past. The younger Ryoga sat eager to hear him, but before he could go with the story, he had a few questions of his own.

"Fine. I want to know about that thing I did to gain her love. I want to know why did I quit trying to save Akane-san and most importantly, why didn't I do something for Ranma's happiness?" The man studied the questions slowly, looking for better ways to explain everything without harming the future he was living in.

"First. . .You. . .I mean, we did nothing directly. Before I can explain about what happened to you, let me tell you my story. Time is like a river with a very strong current. . .You may stop its course at some point, but the strength of the current will reset and fix everything opposing it."

"When I jumped into the future, my older me told me I was the first to do it. He saw Akane die, leaving a very stressed Ranma alone and miserable. With time they got along and married despite the other fiancées. What I refused to believe is that I jumped too late to save her when he told me the technique takes almost thirty eight days to be active after a jump this powerful."

The man kept telling about all the searching he did about the youngest Tendo in the future, and indeed, he arrived at a date several weeks after the girl he loved most died and was buried. " When I was ready to leave, I learned something really bad. Once you stay a determined amount of time in a place, you become part of that timeline."

"When I returned, I started a loop that was supposed to be endless. I arrived and no one knew me since I became part of the future and my life in the past was erased. That special moment came when Ranma believed in me and saved me from ceasing to exist. After that, we hit it off when I knew it was too late for me to do something about Akane."

The younger Ryoga noticed something along the lines in his explanation. When his eyes flew open and his fang popped, the teenager stood up, slapping the older self straight across the face. The sound was so loud, Ranma rushed in, watching the turned face of her husband and a young teen angrily staring at him.

"You knew if I stay longer in this time that I will be erased once I get back home!. . .You knew and didn't tell me a thing!" Ranma didn't know what to do until the older man waved his hand at her, asking the woman to stay at his side.

The older Ryoga moved back in place and waited for his younger version to sit before he continued. "I didn't tell you for a reason Ryoga, but there is no other way around it. The only way for you to activate the technique again is waiting for thirty eight days from the time you arrive, and to become a permanent resident for this time you only need to live for thirty."

That made the boy understand he had a chance. His eyes grew again, thinking if he could power up before the thirty days, he would be able to jump before getting erased back home. "Forget it. . .You may be able to change certain aspects from time itself, but you and I are the same human being with the same level of Chi."

"The reason you jumped first than me was because I refused to be afraid when I saw Ranma naked. . .It seems you fixed the loophole I created when jumping for the first time." That made a lot more sense for the fanged teen who agreed there wasn't much change in power when they both were the same age all those years ago.

"Still, that alone is your greatest advantage though. . .You jumped in fear and landed here two months before Akane died. That means that if you practice with me, and reach the thirty eight days in time, you can jump back and save her."

That made a lot more sense for the fanged boy. He smiled by the opportunity and that smile saddened Ranma a lot. When he saw her, he felt her pain, admitting this could change dramatically the way she lived.

"Tell me Ranma. . .If I have the chance, shouldn't I take it?. . .If I can save her, you can marry her and I'm sure your life will be even happier?" The redhead started to blink profusely, showing a stream of tears she didn't want to show now.

"Why would you want that Ryoga?. . . I said I love you an' I mean it!. I wouldn't change this life for anything an' even if Akane were to live, I love my children. . .You can' make me lose what I've worked so hard to gain. . .That shouldn' be fair you know?"

Before the younger Ryoga could answer, the old man had to tell him something else. "Remember Ryoga. . .You will be ready to leave in time, but the moment you jump, when you arrive on the other side, you will be erased after a month."

"Thirty-eight days is all a human being can withstand unless there is a power supply strong enough to let you synchronize back on your time. In my case, Ranma accepted me just barely before the month expired and that saved me from ceasing to exist."

The redhead rushed at his side, hugging him when that old memory made her smile at their luck. "That's somethin' you need ta experience for yourself Ryoga. . .Until then, there's no way you can feel what we went through."

The older man went back to his explanation, letting the fanged teen pay attention to the details. "If you go back and save Akane, either find yourself someone who can love you beyond doubt or perish by the strong current of time."

"I swore to give you the antidote when the time comes, and I will abide to my word. . .Stay with us for the next three weeks and I promise, you will leave in time to save her. . .Just then, I will let you have the cure for Akane."

The younger Ryoga asked him about the motion of time and his older self told him no matter where he was, time ran fluidly in both sequences at the same time. "As of now, from day to night, the sequence will be the same motion seventeen years ago. Stay with my family and when the time comes in thirty eight days, you will go back with several weeks to spare before Akane succumb to the illness."

There was no other choice for the traveler. He decided to stop with the questions, accepting his deal for the cure and knowing he would travel back in time to fix everything straight. . .Despite the sadness in this time's Ranma.

He stood up, bowed respectfully and walked to the guest room where he rested from all the information cascading in his mind. "You think somethin' big will change here honey?" Asked the older Ranma at a smiling Ryoga.

"You know it won't honey, but he needs to know why some facts cannot be changed no matter how much we try." Both adults stayed the rest of the afternoon down on the living room, enjoying a good time together before dinner would call their sons back to the table.

The teen walked around the house with no specific destination. Many thoughts took him to the other two bedrooms where his future children passed the rest of the day secluded. Knock, knock. . ."Kara? . . .May I come in?"

There was no answer from inside the room, instead the door flew open and the younger girl pulled her traveling father impulsively in. "You don't have to ask dad. . .I have no secrets like Ranran." Said the teen with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Wondered out loud Ryoga when his curiosity was always eager to find the answer to everything. The little teen took him to her bed, sitting him on one side while she jumped on the other. "Dad. . .Ranran has been in love for the longest time, but he won't let me see who she is."

"I have tried pointing at every girl at school, some of our neighbors and even the teachers, but he keeps denying it could be any of them." The older boy look to the side, humming pensive until he opted to ask for more information in the matter.

"Well. . .Maybe he is lying. You know. . .When we are shy, we tend to do the stupidest of things, not to mention our nerves freeze when the girl we love talk to us or treat us nice. I know a lot about that and I can assure you. . .If Ranran has a girl he loves from school, I don't think he'll tell you."

Kara kept thinking about that excuse, but it didn't fit the way her big brother always acted. "I don't know dad. . .He is not shy at all. He always has spoken his mind and when the carnivals come every year, I see him with girls all over the place. Besides, those photos he hides in his bedroom always vanish when I search. . .Um. . .Did I just said I go into his room without permission?"

Ryoga raised a brow from her blunder, but there was a way she smiled when talking too much. . .A way he always liked when Ranma would act like an interested fiancée ready to entice him in a scheme. "Nice try, but I know your mother and believe me. . .You are good, but not 'that' good."

Kara could do nothing when he caught her trickery, giggling uncontrollably as she lunged at his side. "I can't believe you got me!. . .I've been practicing like mom plays with daddy and I thought I had it perfectly imitated. . ."

Ryoga just shook his head, agreeing how the girl had a really good teacher to begin with, but all the times the redhead played a joke on the boy, was a time he used to learn of her techniques. "You did great Kara, but Ranma has pulled so many tricks on me, I know her. . ."

The last part made both go silent for a moment. Karen rested between his arm and torso while her fingers played with his sleeve. "Dad. . .Did you really hate mom that much back then?" The fanged boy tried not to think on that, but he needed to admit hate wasn't in his heart any longer. . .In fact, all the years they were rivals for the same love taught him the pigtailed boy was a good guy and a friend.

"No. . .I stopped hating him way before the first wedding. We grew together as comrades and friends even when we said nothing about it.

The little girl prodded again, this time in a more direct approach. "How about love dad. . .Would you have loved mom no matter she was a part guy?" Ryoga swallowed nervously now. That was a difficult question for him to explain.

With some trouble, the boy played with his wrinkled clothes as he tried to be honest. "Look Kara. I like Ranma like my very best friend, but when he transforms into a girl, he plays jokes where I see a beautiful girl interested in me."

"That makes my ego soar and my feelings. . .Well. . .get stronger towards such girl. When she bursts out of her disguise, I get angry and we fight but deep down. . .I like her. You could even say that I grew to. . .Well. . .You know. . ."

Karen started to smile, slowly nodding as she went back to play with his rippled muscles through the sleeve of his shirt. "I know you love her dad. . .Mom has always told me how you two were unstoppable and how you protected her against other threats. Thank you. . .I really love you."

The boy felt the heat rise when she pecked him on his cheek. After a moment he tucked her in, leaving the room with destination to the next one. "Have a good night Kara-Chan." The girl assented happily and turned the light on her desk off.

A few steps ahead, knocking slightly soft on the door, he asked if it was Ok to enter, but there was no sound from the other side. After a few seconds there was a labored shuffling and the sound of the door being unlocked. When Ranran opened the door, he was breathing heavily and looked somehow nervous by something.

"C-Come in pops. . .I mean, Ryoga." The boy went in, noticing how everything looked neat and ordered with the exception of a corner of the bedroom by the window. When Ryoga walked closer to the area, the tiny corner of a photo peeked from under the closet door, prompting him to raise a finger and ask.

"Look. . .I think you missed a picture." Said after he tried to pry the piece of paper off from under the door. "No!" Shouted Ranryu extremely tense. The fanged boy understood the point, raising his hands and walking back to the bed. "S-Sorry. . .I didn't mean to pry in your business."

Ranran felt the pang of guilt, knowing it was his fault for the incident. "Don't be dad. . .It's. . .It's just someone I really like but no one in the family would approve of her." That statement made Ryoga furrow his brows, asking him later to tell him since he would keep the secret from everyone else.

Ranran was a bit doubtful, but after some thought, the idea to share his most intimate secret with his father was something he wanted for the longest time. "She is. . .Amazing. Kind, funny and the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

"I saw her since I was six years old and for some reason I found her so pretty and strong willed. With the years I tried to find a way to make contact with her, but no one would tell me anything about her except for what I found on my own."

The description kept eluding Ryoga for some time. Of course, he knew no other girl in this time except for Nabiki, Kasumi's daughter, Ranma and Kara. He went on to explain how dumb he was with girls and no help at all for things like advice or techniques on how to get a girl, but he told him the true way he felt was necessary to have a good woman.

"Just be honest. I tried to be honest myself with Akari, but we ended up with different opinions about love. I was never able to see Anna so I can't say if we could have something. . .Now, Akane-san. She is my friend and once I understood I was nothing but a friendly confidant, I accepted Ranma as the man for the task."

Ranran tilted his head, ready to ask him what his little daughter did as well, not ten minutes ago. "What about mom. . .Did you have any feelings for her even when she was a man?" Ryoga felt less threatened by now. The question wasn't really if he was a pervert attracted to another man with a girl's curse, but the understanding to become something more from their already strong link as friends.

"I liked him a lot back then. More like a brother if you ask me, but although I don't want to sound shallow, I started to separate Ranma the boy from Ranma the girl. Is strange, but when he was 'her', Ranma's mood was lighter and he even liked me back."

"When he was in male form, the love was more like a mutual respect as fighters and friends. . .I could feel that and I know he does as well. I'm not sure what I did to make that love of brothers grow into love between two people, but now that I think about it, he is amazing no matter what form he takes."

Ranryu didn't take that in consideration when thinking about perverts and boys liking boys. He thought there was only white or black, but not a feeling of brotherly love which could transform into real love by the circumstances.

"I see pops. . .Whatever happened back then, must've been so powerful you two passed that line." Ryoga accepted his understanding, leaving him alone as he walked at the door. "Get some rest man. . .Tomorrow is school day and we need to keep up with our studies."

He left his room, walking to the guest bedroom where he fell asleep for the first time in a long time. The dreams seemed to vanish, perhaps because he now lived in the future, but what made Ryoga feel safe here, was a family he missed in the past.

Before morning would show its face through the window and specially before the annoying beeping alarm would go off Ryoga was already out of bed and knocking on his son's door.

With some trouble the boy washed, got dressed and left the house when light wasn't even on the streets of Nerima. "Ok Ranran. . .There's no time like the present. . .Follow me and stay focused at all times." Ranma's look alike suddenly realized a totally changed fanged boy vanishing from the patio and appearing on the roof of the house without any effort.

After he followed him, both teens turned the new neighborhood into a racing track Ranryu had never tried before. Ryoga focused completely on his speed while throwing whatever he found along the way. Was it a sign dangling from an establishment or a chunk of a stoned fence, the projectiles kept his companion guessing where was he going or what would he do next.

"Yes!. . .Forget every pre-determined attack and concentrate in the now. . .Be ready by studying your enemy is a good tactic, but not the Hibiki way." Ryoga was two roofs ahead before the teen could catch up. This wasn't his father that was for sure and he understood that when the younger version of his parent turned around in mid air, and shouted 'ShiShi-Hokodan!'

The blast was impressive, but he was more worried about what would be destroyed if he didn't stop it. With his arms crossed on his chest, Ranryu received the full blast head on, vanishing the power behind on his body. When Ryoga stopped on a roof away from the other boy, steam emanated from his body, but he looked just fine by the attack.

"Good!. . .Your old man grew afraid for some reason Ranran. . .The Hibikis do not run straight into a fight because we are dumb. . .We evaluate during the brawl. Pre-emptive helps, but in a fight defending the weak or the vulnerable is better to move fast instead of running later to find a better strategy."

The last comment rang loud and clear when his mother used that technique all the time. Ranma taught him how to fight just as much as his father, and one of the things he hated the most was the way she would retreat with the excuse to re-think another strategy to defeat your enemy.

This time, an urge ran through his blood, pumping a controlled rage he managed to balance without letting him loose his patience. Ranryu smiled at his young father and lunged at him at the same time he shouted. "ShiShi-Hokodan blast!"

Ryoga saw how his boy simply raised one open hand, releasing an even bigger version of his attack. "Damn. . .He is my boy alright" Chimed proudly the fighter. Ryoga jumped forward, punched the blast right in the middle, pulverizing the attack and letting the cloud be his curtain when he kept flying against the teen.

His first swing was easily deflected by Ranryu, but the force behind his fist was almost as strong as his father's. "Damn. . .That's heavy. . ." After the initiation passed, both teens began to skip building after building while their arms vanished in a rain of devastating punches all over town.

There was sweat in his brows after a few hours, but Ryoga's son was smiling the whole time. Some of the punches would pass the fanged teen's defenses when he wasn't fast enough to cover them, sending the poor boy crashing against the ground.

What surprised him the most though, was how he never give up from any assault. The idea started to revolve around his head now. "_Man. . .Mom and dad must fight so intently back then. I can hardly hit him, but when I do, I discharge all my might and he still get up after the beating. . .Is like he enjoys the punishment and doesn't want to give up_."

A fourth array of punches faster than what Ranma was capable to administer rained on Ryoga's face, blinding his perception for a second and throwing him right into the fountain by the park. Ranryu felt this was the end of the training when a piglet would emerge tired, but to his dismay the tiny pig jumped from the water, attacking a lot more furiously than before.

"Damn it pops, you don't have a chance in that form!" Said the teen when the piglet passed from side to side rocketing from one place to the next and hitting the boy straight on the chest. "Fine. . .Want to be knock down?. . .Better get ready!"

Ranryu began to fly this time, vanishing ever so slightly by his dexterous ability while the porcine fighter tried to follow him this time around. Both began the assault again, but what the boy didn't count on was the insistence of his tiny foe to be on the same level.

A few dozen punches on his tiny body did nothing to phase his anger, which kept him awake and darting back against him. The fight kept going despite the severe disadvantage Ryoga had. When the light of the morning shone on the distance, a very tired Ranryu looked everywhere for the flashing pig who after all this time adapted to his attacks.

"M-Man. . .P-Pops!. . .I'm. . .I'm. . ." PoW!. . .Came the snout directed punch precisely on his face, making his nose creak and a few tears swell in his eyes. "Hey!. . .Not fair. . .You hit me on the nose!" When the kid turned around, an even more battered pig breathed a lot heavier on the pavement three feet away.

He looked incredibly exhausted but his open front hooves showed he was ready to keep going. "H-How?. . .How can you keep up after the beating we went through?" Asked the teen before plummeting on the ground to rest.

When Ryoga saw no threat from his new friend, the tiny piglet bent his hooves forward, letting his tiny body drop dead on the floor. The teenager grabbed an unconscious pet on his arms, walking back home while some of the early people ready for work wondered about the mess on the streets.

At home, a busy Ranma yelled for her sons to get ready when he noted Ranran's room was empty. "Oh man. . .Ryoga. . ." The woman ran out of the house where she confirmed her son was out practicing with an unpredictable fighter.

"How is he?" Asked the redhead when she noted her son out of air. "M-Mom. . .I punish him beyond what I could dish and he still came at me. . .I'm dead tired. . ." Ranma couldn't stop letting a good-hearted laugh out when she remembered the endurance her love had all those years ago. "Oh, Your father might be reckless back then Ranran, but believe me. . .If it wasn' cause I had ta re-group, I would've lost many fights against him."

"Take him to the furo and change, you're still going ta school so, get ready." The boy rolled his eyes by the order, but the time he passed with his younger father became an endearing memory he refused to let go. "Yes mom. . ."

The effect was pretty much the same in the tub when Ranryu threw him like old times, directly into the hot water and with no warning until he saw himself drowning at the bottom. When Ryoga splashed out, trying to gain gasping gulps of air, the teen realized his strength was back to normal and that a redhead was walking into the bath with towels and dry clothes.

"You know what my husband will do ta you when he knows 'bout these trainings?" The woman saw how the last boy stared at her just like before. . .Lost in the beauty he swore to protect and make happy by marrying her to Akane.

Again, the woman felt the intimidating eyes too deeply staring, forcing a blush as her eyes fell to the side. "I swear. . .You may be shy, but those looks are too strong man. . ." Ryoga snapped from his trance, offering an apologetic look before he twisted his neck for some creaking noises of relief.

"Sorry Ranma. . .I just keep seeing you so. . .Mature, and wise. . .It suits you. Anyway. Let me get ready for school and I'll be out of your sight in a minute." The woman accepted his apology and complement, leaving the bathroom for the boy to change.

When he walked down the stairs, a puffing Ranryu waited with two packs with lunch and Kara with her own. "C'mon dad!. . .Or we'll be late." Ryoga got the point, rushing to the door, but not before watching his older self on the table and bowing respectfully at him and his wife.

"I will see you later Hibiki-san. . ." The older man felt something strange about his tone, nodding in a prideful manner, but showing the same amount of respect back. When they left, the adult couple snuggled together while enjoying breakfast alone.

"I never thought you would be so polite after all this ordeal Ryoga." The man sighed puzzled by the fact as well, acting a bit nervous after his mind took him other places. "You and me both my goddess. . .He is not me. . .I'm afraid he belongs to this timeline now and his past life has ceased to exist."

Ranma understood the differences now. There wasn't a single boy traveling and meeting himself on the future, but his husband just created a twin brother a lot younger who shared this time and would be in a tremendous risk if he'd go back home.

"Oh no. . .He is goin' ta die as well isn' he?" Asked the redhead to a man who began to see the terrible decisions of his choices. "I believe so honey. From now on, either he survives during his way back or perishes when time resets itself."


	5. Chapter 5

**Present Day.**

As the days passed by, Akane felt a lot stronger thanks to the fabulous remedy doctor Tofu and Cologne made. It was a kind of an herbal tea with strong scent, but as she felt the need to stay active, the beverage became her daily craving.

Ranma tried to live with the idea of loosing her though. Dr. Tofu arrived the day before and waiting for the girl to leave for the day, he explained the strain of cancer kept devouring the new cells the remedy regenerated.

"No matter how much I try to keep the illness from spreading, the new cells fighting the disease end up consumed by its furious reproduction. . .I'm afraid I bought her some time, but not much." Reported rather tragically the practitioner to a family who couldn't take any more bad news.

The day before brought another surprise he didn't count on when Kuno solicited him this morning for a 'special occasion'. When he arrived to the Kuno's state, the Kendoist already waited patiently at the door. "Ah!. . .My pigtailed girl. My eyes deceive me with the beauty of your godly portent. . .Today!. . .Today marks the time where thy shining figure will cometh with me for a day of glorified love."

After his antiquated speech left the boy spinning, Kuno closed his eyes, pointing inside his house and warning him from the first sin he committed today. "Ranma Saotome. . .We had a deal. Go and shed that monstrous image and bring forth my tea kettle goddess. . .And use the attire left by the door."

The teen growled angrily at him, but knowing he was going to take care of his enormous debt, the Saotome heir let his chin hit his chest and walked through with an imaginary tail between his legs. A few minutes later, an annoyed Redhead walked back outside with the loudest of steps.

"Kuno!. . .Are you out of your mind!?" The older boy turned to see the dreaming beauty hunting his dreams. Ranma walked with the regular model uniformed students use to assist school. . .A female uniform at that.

"Ah indeed. . .From today and forth you will accompany me as my personal assistant and love to my classroom. The school gave you a pass to skip your own equals, leaving the decision to my own designs. Now, cometh!. . .We have lots of things to do."

Ranma found no other choice but to walk at his side, carrying his books while the male acted smugly and arrogant along the way. Old and young who saw them found the girl grumbling incoherently except in the times when, walking on a corner, the boy would slap her behind for all to see.

"Isn't that, the boy who turns into a girl?" . . ."He is!. . .I can't believe that young man has him so submissive. . .How pathetic." The more comments flying towards the couple, the less willing the redhead felt from playing this farce.

"Keep pushin' it Kuno an' I'll kill you, you hear?" Badmouthed the girl with clenched teeth. When the next corner came, the egotistical jerk let her pass first, allowing most vendors and other students see how he retracted his open palm, driving the hand at full force directly against her behind.

"SLAP!. . .Crack!" was the humiliating sound heard so loudly this time, most girls giggled uncontrollably while the males laughed openly at the fake girl. Ranma seethed by now, turning her head slowly ajar and looking at the bastard with such hatred, a vein popped right on the side of her forehead.

"You bastard. . .I'm goin' ta. . ." But she stopped with her fist high in the air, forcing Ranma to swallow her pride when the boy stared defiantly back while he used a wad of money as a fan. "Remember fair pigtailed girl. . .I have the future of your demise or happiness in my hand."

The look was priceless. A weak and defeated Ranma Saotome forced to suffer such humiliations because of the trouble he got in glanced down to the floor, accepting his so called hero's generous help . Kuno felt so empowered and in control, his smile started to grow out of proportion. This was the perfect time he would use to exact the revenge he planned for so long. The pigtailed teen played with his feelings, but what made the sword wielding boy cringe in pain, was the way his own friends made fun of his innocent mind.

He stared firmly and defiantly at the girl, noting how every now and then she would use her other hand to rub the pain on her butt while her angry features made her look so cute. "You know my goddess. . .If you weren't really a man, I would have given you the world. . .But alas your lies have been shed away, I. . .The blue thunder of Furinkan must pass judgment for your transgressions.

Her closed fist slowly dropped to the side of her waist, leaving the girl with nothing more than her eyes still drawn to the ground. "I-I. . .I guess I got no choice. . ." She started again, driving her hand ever so slightly towards the affected area while the boy grabbed her by the waist in an intimate manner. With some gasps from his fellow older students, the Kendoist opted to wave like if he was in a parade, whispering at his companion to act her role accordingly.

There was nothing more she could say now, forcing a smile towards Tatewaki's friends and talk with mellowed tones like a girl in love. "Oh Kuno-Senpai!. . .You are the best all around!" Her charismatic smile and the sensual way she used the back of her open hand in front of her face made most students salivate by the image she portrayed.

That in itself made Kuno bent a little closer and whisper in her ear again. "Good, my pigtailed goddess. . .We will show my peers how that evil sorcerer I blamed my bad luck to is nothing but a glimpse of the past. . .A speck of humanity made for nothing more than to cage his real form into the beauty that it is mine now."

When his message went across the redhead disturbed mind, the older boy greeted his fellow students, never leaving his pinching hand closer to his girl as he talked of tournaments and how good he was with the ladies. As the school was in session, the teachers disagreed with the sword wielding teen about her stay on a higher grade class, but acceded when the Kuno name lit brightly against their better judgment when the director was his father.

That's when everything turned from bad to worse. Recess came and with it a whole plethora of young teenagers staring dumbly at a redheaded girl feeding Kuno directly into his mouth. Daisuke and Hiroshi were the first ones in walking near the couple, giving strong remarks about the strange farce going before their eyes.

"Ranma? . . .What's going on?" The girl's eyes trembled from the pressure and the humiliating position she was in. Her almost broken voice became so painfully ashamed, she opted to try and explain it was all part of her new nature.

"Y-You mean. . .You're giving being a guy and decided to go full female now?" Asked Hiro with a tone of skepticism. Ranma took another delicatessen piece of sushi into Kuno's open mouth at the same time she ruffled back into place a wrinkle on the side of her very feminine dress, checking a piece of paper written specifically for her with the different statements the Kendoist prepared for such occasions.

"Indeed. . .I have renounced the lie I lived for so long. . .I. . .I-I am a woman one hundred percent an' in love with Kuno-Senpai." Ranma felt the heat raise from her neck all the way to the top of her head, forcing a smile that was completely erased by the older teen pulling her closer and pressing his lips together.

The kiss in front of everyone made so much discussion, all the students from all ages questioned his manhood now, and gasped when the demonstration of love looked somewhat genuine. To the girl, his lips hurt when the boy kept holding his breath, as if he only pretended to kiss her, but in reality he felt repulsed by the action.

When they separated, Ranma looked flustered and ashamed, but still while forcing an honest smile, the girl kept feeding the boy while her beautiful eyes began to turn slightly gray. Daisuke knew there was a catch in all this, knowing his friend would never fall this low.

When he met her anguished eyes, he nodded with a smile, turning around and shooing the rest of the students away. "Alright!. . .This has gone long enough. . .Everyone back to your stuff!" Most of the students not in Ranma's class ignored his friend's pleads, staying and pointing while those who knew him obeyed and left a distressed redhead playing wife in a deplorable manner.

This situation was getting out of hand fast, and the way Kuno acted made Ranma think how despondent and pervert he would be if he gets to grope her without restrain. The bell rang, and everyone needed to go back. That's when the redhead sighed in relief until the boy pulled her up, asked her to go ahead and slapped her behind one more time. . .Loud and painful.

At the end of the classes, both girl and boy walked out of the school with different destinations. Kuno saw her one last time before walking on his own, asking a few more details about her permanent surrender. "You will dress this way from now on when we're together, my pigtailed goddess."

"You will act nice and polite, and if you do all this. . .I promise my lawyers will be ready to take on your case." Ranma's breathing was deep and long, almost like forcing all her hatred through her nose while the boy left humming a happy song towards his home.

"D-Damn. . .I feel so. . .Dirty. I need ta go home before 'kane finds out." The redhead rushed through the streets with her brand new dress flopping all over. Some men were able to see the underwear she was forced to accompany the dress with as she jumped from fence to roof and back, but there was something troubling her mind that made the girl careless.

"_What if all this is true?. . .I have trained ta be a man among men, but why?. . .I am no man now an' the way my body is changin' there ain't no way I'll ever be a man. Maybe I'm compensatin' for it. . .Who knows. What I know though is that Akane deserves a man an' I should just give up while I'm ahead_."

When she arrived, passing through her father's defenses was a chore, but doable when Shogi always kept his mind busy. A simple jump into his bedroom window evaded any other confrontation until she heard a knock calling her door.

"Ranma?. . .Can we talk?" Asked Akane, who looked desperate to see the boy. "S-Sorry 'kane. . .Let me change an' I'll be there in a minute!" The girl accepted his request, slowly leaving with Kasumi who helped her to the bedroom.

After the boy asked for more time, he sneaked past the room and into the bath, where he needed to clear some things in his mind. His body appeared on the glass screaming about his terrible problem. . .The image of his deformed breasts and the almost missing part between his legs made him drop his hands on top of the counter and see how tears began to swell on his eyes.

Such tears began to run freely without his consent, which led him to believe those stupid hormones were working again. "D-damn it!. . .Stop cryin' you coward. I have ta get a hold of myself now. . .This won' beat me. . .Not by a long shot."

He rubbed his eyes, making them puff even more but his girlfriend waited patiently already and he wanted to please her above anything else. When he left the restroom, he realized the darkness in Akane's room purposely hid his own swollen face, but what made him gape in surprise was Yuka, Sayuri and Nabiki at the girl's side.

"W-What's goin' on?" Chimed somewhat fearful the boy, but there were no responses except a pat Akane gave to her bed like an invitation. With some reluctance the boy sat at her side, suddenly surrounded by his fiancée and friends, hugging him closely together despite his reluctance.

He stiffed his body at first, but something about their hug and all the pressures filling his mind made the demonstration welcomed and at some point needed. He let them stay for as long as they wanted, bowing ever so slightly after they moved aside.

"Ranma. . .Yuka has told me what happened with you and Kuno. Tell me. . .I need to know what's going on?" The teenage boy darted his eyes at Nabiki who could do nothing but bob her head with the request. "I think she needs to know Ranma-kun, and besides. . .You may not be here in a few weeks."

Akane raised a brow, asking with more impetus this time until the teen had no other choice but to explain the deal between Kuno and him. As he went along, both Akane and her sister gasped at the idea to let the boy give up his manhood for a crazed maniac like the Kendoist, but the situation looked bleak at best.

"I swear. . .If I knew he would take it like this, I would've let him stay living his lie." Said Nabiki with an apologetic tone in her voice. Ranma scoffed her effort away, knowing money was involved in the lessons. After a while, the boy kept explaining how he was the only one capable to stop the police from incarcerating both him and the ice queen.

When everything was said and done, Akane stayed pensive but serious by the sudden avalanche of problems. "I don't know how to solve that problem Ranma, but. . .Must you act so meek and submissive when your at his side? Sayuri told me he not only kissed you in front of everyone, but he actually slapped you down "there". . .?"

The girl pointed at the redhead's behind, leaving her indirect approach clear for the girl. "I. . .I know, but there ain' no other choice Akane. . .I need ta keep it up until you get better. . ." The good wish made the youngest Tendo chuckle, insinuating him that her recuperation was impossible to acquire.

"We need to fix everything before the time comes Ranma. There is no turning back from this, and I wish you the happiness you deserve." The girl felt a round of dizziness and nausea, forcing Akane to ask her friends to leave earlier than expected.

Yuka and Sayuri bid farewell and left the couple alone before the girl would go to rest. "R-Ranma. . .Have you thought about Ryoga-kun?. . ." The pigtailed teen had completely forgotten about him, having all his attention on Kuno and his girlfriend's well being.

"No. . .'kane. . .Not really 'bout what you told me last. Ucchan is like a sister ta me and Shampoo is not even a match, but Ryoga?. . .I am a man an' you know that. . ." Akane giggled tiredly this time, moving her hand to cup his chin before she dropped her open palm on his chest.

"Think about it. . .One day, I won't be here and I want you to be happy as a man, and a woman." Her wishes were true, but the feeling to be a full-fledged woman was something he did not care to accept just yet. Maybe she had good intentions, and if Kuno would get away with his plan, he was going to be a female slave for his passions, but to accept the supposedly love the lost boy had for him was a serious step because he knew there was a mutual feeling brewing between them.

"M-Maybe. . .I can' say that I love him alright?, but as my best friend. . .I love him like a brother." The girl decided to leave the argument for later, falling asleep with a smile while the boy walked silently out of her room.

"So. . .Is Kuno really going to make you his girlfriend?" Asked Nabiki who stood outside ready to hear his plan. "That's his idea, an' I don' think I can fight him off Nabiki. He has the money an' the influences. . .I don' know how am I goin' ta fight him off but I'll think on somethin'. . ."

"Well, at least Yuka and I talked about the crazy display Kuno is doing with you. Rest assured Ranma-kun, I have everyone blackmailed into something. . .They won't say a word about it so don't sweat it." The boy thanked her for the effort to keep his shame to a minimum. After a while he dared to ask her about the money they were impugned from, but Nabiki had no way to solvent that much, leaving the teen in the same spot he started from.

After a while he left the girl alone, walking to the Dojo where a good training should loosen the cramped, and sore muscles on his back. Upon arriving to the hall, he noticed his situation growing out of proportion now. He always knew how to handle men, but this was a different Kuno. . .A boy who knew who he really was and wasn't afraid to show it to the world.

"Fine Tatewaki Kuno. . .Want ta play rough with little 'ol me?. . .It's time Ranma Saotome show her powerful acting ability an' submit you to my will." When he declared to the winds his new secret plan, a hidden compartment opened besides the training dummy by the farthest wall.

Inside, several wigs, dresses and accessories adorned the weird place looking like a studio where actresses change for a movie. "After I'm done with you, a leash is all you'll ask me to make you wear. . ." The secret room vanished and the boy with it. . .Ready to go according with his revenge.

At the end of the beauty session, a gorgeous teenage girl dressed sensually and with that red hair loose and conditioned stared at the mirror with a disgusting look of indignity. "I can' believe I'm forced ta go this far, but if that idiot wants ta play with me then that's his funeral."

Leaving all her stuff back in the room, the girl began to stroll around the patio, trying different walks, swats and even mannerisms with either hands or the use of her long mane with provocative results. "Is he alright?" Asked Yuka to a bewildered Nabiki. "Oh yeah. . .He is just getting ready for payback. . ."

The next day, a gorgeous Ranma walked with irresistible steps toward the estate. Her swaying was the first thing Kuno saw differently from before. This time, the girl of his dreams was really putting up a show and he neglected wasting an opportunity like this.

"Cometh my sweet goddess. It's time the blue thunder show you the perks to be a Kuno." Delighted by his full attention on her chest, the pigtailed girl secretively pushed her already small bra higher, forcing her two voluptuous breasts to stress the cloth of the blue dress.

The light blue blouse and skirt were decent enough, but when the chest of a beautiful teenager wanted to burst through the blouse itself, men stared regardless of the modest clothing piece. "Oh Kuno-Senpai!. . .Where are you takin' me?"

The sweet, almost syrupy tone the girl made and the charming way she moved took Kuno by surprise. The more enticing play of her winking eyes and sudden inclination revealing a jiggling chest , left a boy with the lusting desire to undress her right there, taking advantage of the girl despite of knowing who she really was. He forced his breathing down, letting his head cool down and instead of going like an animal, Kuno took her by the waist again, this time brushing slightly her chest as his arms tangled with the dress.

Ranma's eyes flew open when the reaction made the wrong effect on her body. The small parts in the center of her chest mounds became increasingly sore and hard, giving an even more perverted look at the girl. The boy was ecstatic by now, feeling the rush to be with a naughty girl with no restraints but the ones he chose while the male side slowly drowned away.

"Here we are my fair tea kettle beauty. . .The Kuno's member only hot springs." Ranma's mouth fell when the place was immense, compared more like a picnic field than a public bath house. "Let's come my darling. . .I wish you to meet my well reserved relatives and their keen."

Ranma could not believe this was real. Maybe she could find another idiot capable to pay for her debts without going through the pain to deal with her human headache. When she rushed into the bath, the dress had come off and in its place a towel was everything she had to cover herself with.

She knew how to play her cards right and at this point being a boy cursed to turn into a girl meant nothing more than a way to get what he wanted. Still, the longer he kept this charade, small bits of his manhood started to vanish, leaving behind only the girl he fought so much to erase.

Walking into the springs was a hard thing to do with so much steam, but when she heard the voices of males in the distance, she propped in the water and walked sensually towards them. When her nerves were at the verge of bursting though, the girl noticed too late the effect of hot water in her body.

The pigtailed teen finally looked towards the voices who were all the senior students from the classes Kuno attended. They all laughed and pointed at a male Ranma with busty lines on his chest, embarrassing the boy with a series of demeaning provocations. "look at that pervert!" or "I didn't know this boy was such a weakling girl. . ."

Ranma felt the humiliating pain harder than before, forcing his tears back while his rage started to flare on the now bubbling water. "I see my fellow students had the same idea about coming here. . .Very well Ranma Saotome. Let's leave and return home, I'm sure there is nothing to be embarrassed about an insignificant incident like this one."

It was clear he had all this planned. He might had been a fool and an arrogant idiot lost in the eyes of a perverted boy, but when it came to strategy and hatred, he too was able to play hard. A forced snicker was everything he showed when his friends nodded from afar, agreeing the boy's humiliation had been thorough.

"To think such martial artist would be so stupid to fall into a curse like that." Kept the young men taunting. "I think he wanted to be cursed. Look at the way he acts along men. . .Such a pervert!" The embarrassment was total at this point, leaving an enraged teenage boy in the middle of the group who didn't know anything about his abilities, but were about to find out.

The pigtailed boy tried to hold back, forcing his blazing chi down as the others carelessly walked away. He was glad to leave the towel on just for appearances, but the change in his body made a big dent on his companion. "Ranma Saotome. . .Why on hell would thy chest be as big as my tea kettle love?"

"Is it perhaps, that you the man hath accepted the curse beyond the boundaries of insanity?" He walked decidedly towards the boy who tried to hide his shame from the kendoist's eyes. With a last ounce of patience Ranma held his open hand on the air, warning his captor to stay where he was or else.

"I'm leavin' man, an' if you try ta stop me, I will take this place apart. . ." Kuno felt like a bully this time, noting how his jokes trying to shame him had gone too far. "W-Wait!. . .Please Ranma. Let me explain. . ." The older boy led Ranma towards the showers where he personally handed him male clothes.

"Listen. . .I may be a fool to everyone, but you. . .You made me into a joke. A perverted man in love with another man. . .Tell me. Why would you play a girl willing to date me and even flirt with me so openly?" The Saotome heir snarled at his ranting description of the facts, swirling around to face him at the same time his finger flew against the center of his eyes.

"I never flirted with you man!. . .The stupid wish making sword was the point of the date. I was tryin' ta ask for the cure of my curse, but you had ta make that idiotic monument instead!" The fuming boy saw how Tatewaki slowly saw his motives, leading the older teen to evaluate his priorities.

"Fine my. . .Um. . .R-Ranma-san. I admit fault and I promise from now on to help in your innocence regardless of the consequence in our deal. I just. . .I would like to know if the pigtailed girl could accompany me just as a friend of sorts to school when possible?"

Ranma understood his idea of the curse was still very much glued to the lie. After considering his desire to help genuinely this time, he assented with his request but proposing his own set of rules first. "Fine. . .But no slappin' me on the butt, or grabbin' me by the waist an' most certainly not tryin' ta kiss me. . .Ever. . ."

Kuno found the clauses fair so he accepted just as he let the boy go tend his other love. "I will abide to my word Ranma Saotome. . .I hope the fair Akane Tendo is feeling better and I hope to see you Monday at my house."

When he said that, a pang of anger made him remember it was Saturday, realizing too late why all the other students were in the bathhouse so early. "Man!. . .I got ta see 'kane and the others. . ." He dashed away, forgetting his captor and torturer for the time being while the Tendo training hall looked closer than before.

Tension was the understatement of the century for the family who at the moment had company in the living room. Inspector Tanaka studied several yellow folders with information of all the restaurants and establishments suing the middle daughter living there and the amount of money Ranma owed by her own volition.

"According with the documentation I have in my hands. Miss Nabiki Tendo raised a debt of almost a billion and two hundred million yen when she decided to play this dangerous game with a noted criminal. Mr. Ranma Saotome had a good heart when he tried to help her case, but the moment he forfeited his deal with that restaurant, the amount was accredited to his name automatically despite being his curse the object of the crime."

"There are only two weeks left before we drag your son-in-law in prison, and believe me Mr. Tendo. . .I tried to argue his case but I was denied his admittance into a female incarceration unit. . .Your boy will be detained among rapists, killers and thieves."

The private investigator shook his head negatively, admitting Ranma's odds to survive such ordeal were slim to none. "They will find out about his. . ."Changes" and then nothing but hell will rain in that boy. I'm sorry I have to say it like this, but I'm just warning you."

The man and his three fellow officers walked out the door just when Ranma walked in. The trench coat man raised his hat politely, leaving without a comment the house. When he stared at Soun, the man shook his head, accepting there was no chance to save him or his daughter unless Kuno's help could persuade the judge.

Ranma left the house, walking towards the Dojo and stayed there thinking on all the chaos reigning his life. At least Kuno accepted he had gone too far, but now all the school knew of his false pretense over the curse and he knew the senior students would give him hell once he would meet them back.

"There's somethin' I could do, but why?. . .After Akane is gone. . ." His desperate cries for help stopped dryly, holding the boy his tongue when the tears came out again unannounced. This time he knew the pressures were making him cry, but what was worse. . .Something deep down told him the real Ranma died just before all this started, leaving in his wake a mild mannered boy ready to please those who stepped on him.

"I should fight. . .I really should, but. . .'kane will be no more an' there's nohtin' I can do to stop it." Tension destroyed the attitude of the boy by now, leaving a husk of who he was.

* * *

**Future.**

The bonding of the Hibiki family became a strong issue among its members as the days passed. The daily camaraderie among the young and old on the house turned a young fanged traveler into the most loyal of persons for the only old woman capable to become both his best friend and an important influence in his life.

Of course the older Ryoga Hibiki accepted the change, but what he was more interested in, was the reason of it. "Good!. . .You are doing great Ranran. Stay focused on my moves, and react as fast as you can before attacking head on!" yelled the parent at a tired teen who breathed heavily from their training. On the back, little Karen and Ranma talked about their strategies during the fight when the guest studied her in more detail.

"R-Ryoga. . .Stop staring so intently. . .It feels weird man." complained a blushing Ranma to her guest of honor. The teen apologized but never stopped looking at her. His head tilted here and there, but at the end of her discomforting inspection, the fanged boy asked what kept his mind reeling back to his own memories.

"Ranma-san?. . .Can I ask you something. . .Um, personal?" The woman with the pronounced blush assented puzzled by his penetrating stare. "How?. . .How can you be so nice and calm now. . .I mean. I figured you'd be just as wild and unstoppable than how you were back then."

The redhead smiled at his question, dropping those blue eyes to the floor when the answer was shameful and debased. "Look Ryoga. Back then there was a big problem forcin' me ta leave Akane before she passed. I went crazy tryin' ta hold on ta her with every bit of my sanity, not ta mention dealin' with the changes my body was experiencin'. . ."

"In the last days before you arrived a. . ."Person" decided ta help me with his influences so I wouldn't be taken ta jail. I thought it was a good way ta avoid that accusation an' stay at her side, but things went sour an' the relationship between that person an' I stopped long ago."

The younger Ryoga noted there was no explanation about her new and improved demeanor as a docile and faithful woman which still evaded his question. He always loved the way Ranma pushed him to become a better fighter when his attitude was unstoppable, but ever since he arrived to this place, the redhead never fought with anyone, not once."

"R-Ranma-san. . .W-Would you like to spar with me?" The woman's eyes grew by the request, understanding why was he so concerned about her calming way to see things. "I get it. . .Sure Ryoga. . .Let's remember old times." With the stares from the other two males as they walked towards another part of the big training hall, both older woman and younger teen prepared to face each other in a fight.

"Is it Ok if I go "my" style?" Asked worried the boy. "Sure. . .Head on, careless an' reckless is a technique I hadn' dealt with in a long time." Both bowed respectfully and before the woman went into her pose, the teen lunged at her at full speed.

He started punching away, harder and faster than how he fought Ranryu before. His pushing blows reflected the desperation to meet his old friend. . .The one goading him into becoming angry and make plenty of mistakes, but the woman fighting back was in so much control, he started to feel nervous.

Her movements were calculated and quick. . .A lot quicker than how she was before and yet, she would stop momentarily when an opening was too obvious to exploit. "D-Damn it Ranma!. . .If you find a weakness, use it!"

"I want to see my friend. . .The egotistical jerk who loves to act prideful and vain either when he is a man or a woman. Remember, Akane-san told me how you tried to conquer Tsubasa with all manner of manly clichés and acted so romantically with the guy, she wondered why you never tried that with her."

The redhead bit her lower lip, uneasy by his request, but something began to stir deep inside from the memory. When another opening became clear, Ranma threw about five hundred punches into one single looking fist straight in the affected area. Ryoga flew against the wall, crashing loudly.

The plan was working so far thought the fanged boy, and although the pain was high, Ranma started to remember who she really was, instead of the rag doll she had become. He stayed on the floor waiting for the pain to pass when he noted there was needed another push when the woman reverted back at her worried state.

"R-Ryoga!. . ." Ranma tried to run at his side, but as soon as she extended her arm, the boy stopped her with an angry look on his face. "Don't!. . .You can be the sweetest and greatest of women out there, but in here we are fighting. P-Please. . .let me fight with my old friend."

The redhead saw that look again. . .A set of eyes she hadn't seen in a long time. With some restraint, Ranma walked back and stood on her regular pose, waiting for the teen to go back into the fray. Ryoga felt the strong punch after punch fulminating his chest, but the heat of the attack made him sneer angrily at his own stupidity. With some effort the boy got up, walking to the side of the field to reinstate the match.

"Better. . .Don't hold back and do your best." Taunted the boy, ready to push her further into summoning his brother in arms. "I can always get beaten by an opponent, but a weak girl like you would never defeat me. . .Ranma Saotome. Prepare to die!"

That phrase brought chills through her spine. Something primal and feral started to bottle up ready to explode from her lower belly and into her head. A sneering smile and her eyes suddenly furrowed angry were the signal Ryoga knew that she was about to give in.

"C'mon! where is the great Ranma Saotome!. . .The most powerful martial artist who defeated a god and has women dropping all over the place. I want to see the jerk who kicked me into the pool of drown piglet and the one always defeating me after so many fights we've had for so long."

Ranma could be seen changed now. Ranryu and Kara had never seen their mother seething angrily by those words and what made them gasp, was the comeback she blurted out under the pressure. "I'm right here you pig!. . .It ain't my fault you were in the way. An' I'm ready to defeat you again, an' again. . ."

The fight turned into the carnage Ryoga nervously hoped to achieve. Both fighters vanished every so often only to appear on another part of the hall interchanging punches and kicks just like old times. This wasn't their mother but a monstrous woman unleashing hell on the poor teen who barely could keep up with her new skill.

His older version and Ranryu stared at brawl, this time the old man smiled proudly when memories cascaded in his mind about loyalty and love between brothers. "Study him Ranran. . .That is supposed to be another lesson for you."

"Look how he tries desperately to attack full force, but he adapts to her own movements. His opening at chest level disappears, and even when that doesn't mean Ranma won't find another weak point, he is forcing himself to stay on his toes. . .That's the old Hibiki way. . .That was "my" style." Finished the old man with a bitter-sweet taste in his words.

Ranryu and Karen saw the tremendous fight going on the hall. This wasn't a training session between friends but a merciless carnage of fistful techniques between two mortal enemies. Kara drove her thumb to the lips, biting nervously her nail while the boy could feel the desire they had to kill each other floating on the air.

When the young Ryoga found an opening he tried to go for it, right before he stopped with an annoyed look in his face. "Stop it!. . .Don't give me any openings you idiot!" The cuss and attitude boiled the girl's blood in a way she hadn't felt after years of tending babies and cleaning a monotonous house.

"Who said I am givin' you any!. . .Come and try to use it P-Chan. Let me see how strong you are now!" The venomous words the woman spat weren't exactly like she used to goad him with, but they worked after she saw the rage in his eyes.

Ryoga was too exited to do something else but smile and fight. The name calling games were his best friend's trademark so he knew that bastard was coming back to life. The difference this time though was how to make him stay.

"Whatever cross-dresser!. . .Show me what you got and maybe, just maybe I'll surrender if you're worth my time." This time Ranma went with a bang by vanishing with the Umisen-ken and popping right up his face. She used his vulnerable state to rain a few thousand punches all over.

These weren't strong ones either, after all she became a loyal fighter to the art through the years, but even so, the array of attacks made the boy fumble in place, forcing Ryoga to reel back from the pressure. "Damn!. . .That hurts like hell!" He rubbed his chest and arms while the woman walked slowly back, watching her numb hands shake.

With her own clenching teeth, Ranma held her ground, not wishing to attack her opponent, but to scream with all her lungs at the most idiotic of pals forcing back who she really were. "Well, it ain' my fault you are such a stubborn and stupid little kid!" Suddenly there he was. The person Ryoga pinned for so long, running mere inches into his personal space and pushing her chest right on his face with the idea to suffocate him like old times.

"What!. . .Are you goin' ta have a nose bleed on me P-Chan?" Said the sneering redhead with a tinge of mischief and using really old tricks she swore never to practice again. Ryoga could do nothing but stare back, stopping the fight and with no other power holding him back, he lunged at her with the meanest hug he had ever given to someone.

"Ranma!. . .I missed you buddy. That's the idiot I learned to love. . ." He knew what he said was extremely embarrassing, but he didn't care. The old Ranma was back and he needed to tell him he was missed. Ranma on the other hand let the boy hug her, but as she raised her hands to stare at them, a tear formed in her left eye noticing how much she changed over the years.

"R-Ryoga-kun. . .Thanks man. I remember who I am now. . .After so long. . .I remember myself." The woman answered the hug with her own, winning the smiles of her husband and son when they approved of such demonstration.

After a while they separated and walked back home, where a happy family went to the living room ready to eat supper. Ranma rushed into the kitchen, fixing her apron when Kara and younger Ryoga entered. "Mom?. . .What can we help you with?"

The older woman knew time and those experiences tamed the wild horse in her, but thanks to an old memory, a new and improved Ranma Saotome was ready to change things around here. "Kara. . .Come here an' check on the soup. Ryoga. . .Can you cut me some vegetables?"

Both teens ran at their posts, ushering their chores confidently until both girls heard a strangled voice in the pantry. "What the hell!. . .I was going to the kitchen, why am I here?" Ranma and Karen giggled when the younger version traveling through time began to get lost like he used to.

"You know what?. . .Kara, work on the vegetables. . .Bring Ryoga-kun here, I'll stay at his side on the stove. The roles changed this time, letting a blushing boy take care of the steaming soup, and the scrumptious meat baking under.

When the older redhead stayed at his side, the teen felt her close body melt his mind. The tiny frame of a beautiful woman in her mid thirties seemed to still cause his head to explode by how amazingly cute she looked.

"R-Ranma?. . ." Asked the boy a bit tensely. "Yeah?" Replied the mother of two. "I'm. . .Um. . .I'm afraid. . ." What he said didn't make sense right away for the woman, which opted to search with her eyes for a better explanation. "I love you Ok?. . .But back then I saw you as my best friend and comrade. How can I convince you to see me like someone else, and more importantly. . .How can I compete if I save Akane-san?"

The woman tried to think on some wise words strong enough to encourage him to keep trying, but nothing came to mind except that incident making her fall head over heels for the boy. "If you manage ta save her, do what you think is best Ryoga. What happens between you an' me is the strongest demonstration of love anyone has ever given me. . .Even Akane."

"An' even when I love her dearly, when I saw you helpless an' weak, somethin' boiled in my soul. I had ta do somethin' ta stop it!" The warning made Ryoga tug an eyebrow up, searching in her eyes for that so called demonstration of love but the woman simply pecked him on the cheek and left to get the plates.

When the food was served, the family was ready to enjoy a nice Saturday supper with no interruption from anyone. The meat was so tender and juicy, it barely stayed for long, luckily this woman knew how her family's eating habits were.

When both Ryogas stayed silently thinking. The older woman noticed how all of a sudden their eyes bulged almost out of their sockets at the same time. Older Ryoga stood up first, pointing at his younger version who then, stood up and stared back at him.

Ranryu, Karen and Ranma saw how they kept looking straight at each other right before they shouted at the exact same time and in synch. "It was Kuno!" Older Ryoga moved from the table and around as his younger version stared angry at the redhead.

"That damn Kuno did something really bad to you didn't he?" The demanding tone made Ranma swallow harshly the piece of meat she was chewing. With some trouble, she finally got the jest of the sudden reaction and she too stood up, afraid of how ugly this was going to get.

"W-What do you mean?. . .What 'bout Kuno?" Chided nonchalantly Ranma trying to defuse the situation. "Don't play me Ranma!. . .That bastard did something so humiliating to you, it changed you from who you were!" Demanded with flames in his eyes her husband.

"I'm going to kill him right now!" Said again before starting for the door. "Not if I kill him first. . ." Rebutted his younger self with just as much ire. Ranma didn't know what was going on, but the woman rushed towards the entrance, using her body as a barricade.

"Stop one darn minute!. . .Before you two numbskulls go and make this town into another war zone, tell me what's goin' on?" The older Ryoga saw his younger version just as irritated, but after he asked him to go back to the table, the older man proceeded to answer her question.

"I don't know how is possible since my younger self is his own person here now, but I am still linked to him somehow. There was a meeting of sorts I wasn't aware because when I came in my travels I never met Kuno in this time, but he did. . ."

That made Ranma's eyes grew in fear. She agreed for the young man to visit school so he could bond with her children, but she never imagined Kuno actually interacting with him, specially confessing for past mistakes.

"What did he say Ryoga?" Asked the woman to the boy. "He apologized for the way he treated you. Told me how sorry he was for forcing you in the way he did and that it was his biggest regret in life. . .At first I didn't understand what he meant, but now. . .After what you just told me I get it."

"And for some reason again, that lost memory suddenly flashed in my mind, giving me the impression of something I missed after I jumped back in time. . .Ranma, honey?. . .What did that bastard forced you to do?"

Ranma suddenly was against two men firmly searching for an answer she buried long ago, hoping no one would be the wiser except for the pledge Nabiki and the other girls at school gave her. "I. . .I won' tell Ryoga. If I do you'll march right there an' kill him!"

"So, it was something so humiliating it changed you so drastically. Knowing that bastard and his infatuation with your curse I bet he went too far didn't he?. . .Tell me Ranma." The man walked at her side, grabbing her trembling arms and rubbing them with such worry, the woman saw the concern in his eyes.

"You are my wife, but beyond that you know you are my best friend. . .I love you and always will, but if that idiot did something you couldn't handle, I will kill him." Ranma swallowed nervously when the pain was clearly in his eyes.

Ryoga grew with her as time passed in the future not only loving the woman, but trying every possible way to get the cure for her illness with the goal to have his male friend and the redhead's true identity safe. "To me you are the most precious person and you know I'd die for you in a heartbeat."

When Ranma kept quiet, trying not to make things worse, the man carefully let go of her arms, kissing her on the forehead and aiming for the door. "Stop damn it!. . .Can' you see what he did ta me?" That stopped him on his tracks, forcing his body to twirl in place and expect the rest of her explanation.

His woman slowly walked back into his arms, searching with her eyes the hurtful orbs her lover hid in shame. "Thanks ta what he did I accepted you Ryoga-kun. . .Think 'bout it. He did something so cruel it took my pride a few notches down until there wasn' much but a humble girl ready to please anyone."

"Then you came, it happened what it did an' when I saw you so vulnerable everythin' fell into place. Maybe. . .Just maybe it was a good thin' what Kuno did after all." The older Ryoga took a deep breath, releasing it into a long sigh after his anger subsided.

After a moment he hugged her fully, kissing her hair every now and then while professing his love for the woman. "Ranma. I love and respect your wishes. . .If you want me to stay away from him I will, but when you feel better please tell me what he did."

The woman acceded, promising when the time would come, she would be entirely truthful with her man. The younger Ryoga was far from understanding and she knew that, but what changed the mood again was the next memory dropping like a bomb in the older man's mind.

"Nabiki?. . .Nabiki of this time made out with me?" The younger Ryoga swallowed tensely now, pulling the neck if his shirt while chuckling nervously. "We didn't make out!. . .She just kissed me very intimately and said I wasn't Ranma's just yet, so we weren't cheating!"

That definitely changed the mood in the house. A flaring Ranma exploded in her own place, staring daggers at her husband when the younger version dared not to move. "You made out with Nabiki in this time!?. . .Why didn' you tell me!"

The man was at a loss, looking at his sons and his self as a blush ran across his face. "I-It wasn't me woman!. . .I just got the. . .Um. . .Sweet, warm memory of her full meaty lips pressing desperately against mine. And that tongue. . .Wow!"

The older man suddenly realized he was actually talking what his memory made him think. When he turned around to see her, those beautiful blue eyes vanished under her crimson bangs, and only her seething teeth were in display for all to see.

"You an' I are havin' a talk mister. . ." Ranma walked upstairs followed or rather pulling with her gripping hands a man who was going to be in big trouble. The couple's door closed shut and afterwards there was nothing but silence.

"You think he'll be Ok?" Asked Ryoga to the kids but they were busy fixing the dishes. "Don't worry dad. . .Mom and Pops love to make a scene, go upstairs and work on making another brother for Kara." The comment sent a blush on the girl's face, prompting a fight between them Ryoga could only wonder how it started.

"I think I'm getting the idea how this family became what it is now. . .I like it!" After Ryoga noticed the rambunctious teens horse-playing like normal teenagers, they went to clean the kitchen, save the rest of the food in the fridge and left the house with the idea to enjoy a stroll outside.

"We better leave Pops. . .Is only four in the afternoon, but you and mom are good at that stuff. . .We won't see them probably until tomorrow." With that tremendous description, a flustered young Ryoga tried not to think about the love making session two well conditioned martial artists were capable to work on, and rushed out of the house, following both teens to the park in search for other social activities.

As the teens walked through the streets, Ryoga noted how a few patterns made the town change dramatically. A store they stopped to buy some sodas suddenly changed its place a few houses ahead. Than, all of a sudden it changed again, transforming into a pet store right before their eyes."

"You guys. . .Did you notice how that grocery store changed into a pet store?" Both of his sons looked at each other, kneading their brows when the idea was preposterous. "No! daddy." Replied the girl. "Mr. Ibuki's pet store it's been open since I was born. . ."

Ryoga stared at his orange soda, wondering how in the hell did they get them then. "If that's true, how come we just bought these?" Said the teen as he pointed at the beverages. "Mrs. Sayura has he grocery store a block away from here. . .We just bought them there dad. . ."

The girl rolled her eyes by his mistake, explaining to her brother how hard it was to live with a lack of sense in direction. "I don't think that's the case Kara. . .I think pops is changing stuff the longer he is living here. I think he really goes back in time and he is making changes in the things we take for granted."

The explanation made all three stiff fearful. Ryoga found the idea to affect all around so intimidating, he understood why his older version decided to stop trying with that technique. Ranryu feared for what he was going to do despite of the ignorance of his young parent, and Kara felt the pang to burst crying and hold her brother for dear life after his prompt sacrifice.

Something big was about to happen to the family and there was nothing they could do about it. When Ryoga started to walk slower and more carefully, the other two understood his concern, opting to take him to the ice cream parlor right on the corner.

"Come pops. . .Let's enjoy some treats and rest before we go home and talk about this tonight." When they arrived, a pretty girl welcomed them, asking for their orders with a big smile on her face. "May I have a super deluxe-one-of-a-kind banana-strawberry parfait?"

The lost boy chuckled at her taste, noticing they were Ranma's alright, the girl snickered innocently when six regular parfaits at once were Ranryu's order unlike her mega giant dessert. Finally the fanged boy asked for tea. . .The most soothing cup of tea they could sell. "Really. . .I can't believe you guys like parfaits so much. Ranma loved them back then, specially as a girl or so Akane told me." Mentioned Ryoga a bit flustered.

"Mom told us how you always spoiled us since babies, specially taking her to places like these and restaurants. . .In fact, mom told us the reason she loves you so much is the way you act, whatever that means."

Ryoga received his big cup of tea, noticing the two gallon sized parfait the girl ordered and the rest of the table filled with several regular sized dishes. He kept thinking on that detail escaping his mind. He did something so romantic. . .Maybe daring, or even heroic convincing his best friend the fanged boy was a worthy husband, but the point was still the same, and he needed to be clear before jumping into the time tunnel about that specific part.

While they enjoyed the treats, Karen couldn't hold it any longer, letting her tears swell and fall when the secret her father confided her was eating her soul. With a half eaten parfait, the teen ignored her food, jumping on her brother and hugging him tightly.

Ryoga saw something strange in this situation. When he stared at Ranryu, the boy felt the deep, commanding eyes of his father questioning his omitting motives. "Ranran. . .I know you're hiding something from me. . .Tell me."

"Pops. . .You told me not to say a thing until you were ready to leave. . .You made me swear!" Ryoga had none of that, keeping his stormy eyes sternly looking at him until the poor boy cracked by the pressure. "F-Fine!. . .But if he asks, you better deal with yourself."

Ranryu took a deep breath, cleaned his sister's swollen eyes with a napkin and started to tell the big secret. "Pops. . .You told me I'm going back in time with you. There is a very important fact I hold in me. . .I don't know what it is, but it's very important for me to leave with you."

Ryoga still noted his little girl firmly grasping her brother, and when he thought about the different pattern changes by his stay, he realized something big was going to happen. "What are you not telling me Kara?" The girl moved to the side, staring at her dad with pain in her eyes.

"Dad. . .Daddy, mom and I will remember Ranran when he leave, but no one else will. He will cease to exist in this time and I won't see him ever again. I don't want that!. . .I want him to stay with me and see me grow up like he did. I want him to see all the medals and trophies I will win for the family. . .I want him to. . To"

She began to cry disconsolate. Ranryu felt a pang of regret, but this was a done deal and nothing would change his decision. "Don't worry Kara-Chan. . .I will be at your side I swear. . .I will get married, look for mom and dad and keep them from screwing things up."

"I'll even watch over when you are born. Be your special uncle and work hard to make you into the best Hibiki master of all times." The teenage girl smiled brightly although a few hiccups still remained from her pleading cries."

Ryoga on the other hand found the cheering words a bit challenging. "_If he comes with me, he might try to persuade me or Ranma to stay together, but no!. . .I swore to save Akane-san and that's what I'm going to do. Besides. . .I swore to make Ranma happy and the only way is by marrying the idiot to the love of his life which happens to be her_"

His thoughts made the boy question the plan to take him to the past, but that was more of an issue he needed to deal with the older man in charge than with his son. "Forget about that and enjoy your ice cream. . .When we get home I'll talk with me and solve all this mess before it gets out of hand."

All three had a fun afternoon talking and reminiscing about stuff Ryoga never saw, or the way he fought with a rebellious Ranma the kids never heard before. The point though was the bonding they were getting as a family and one that made Ryoga think twice about his plan.

"Dad?. . .If you save Auntie Akane. . .Will I even exist if mom stays with her?" That was the big question of them all. Ryoga stopped on his tracks when he had no idea how to respond to that. "Honey. . .I. . .I don't know."

Both teens stayed pensively playing with their food now. Ryoga hated to loose such beautiful girl because of his reckless idea to right a wrong. Ranma must marry Akane and they need to live happily ever after. . .But at what price.

His older self looks really happy with her. Ranma acts and lives with such loyal and endearing manner, she raised two incredible teenagers who lover her back and praise the effort of this marriage. The lost boy had a terrible decision to make once he would travel back in time and knowing how his daughter might not even be born was the most painful of thoughts he tried to ignore with no avail.

"Kara. . .I swear I'll find a way for you to be fine honey. I don't know. . Maybe if I explain to Ranma about you, he could let me go all the way before marrying Akane-san?" The declaration made all three teens blush intensely, so they decided to leave the idea out of the question.

"Right. . .But don't worry Ok?. . .I will find a way and that's a promise." The girl took his word for it, smiling at his desire to fix everybody's lives but his own. "Thanks dad. . .That helped a lot." After the afternoon started to die down, the three Hibikis took their stroll back home, feeling better from the chat they had.

Ryoga became so accustomed at this point with a twelve year old swinging from his arm while his son started to talk so fluid and open, that the feeling to destroy such family hurt his heart. He knew that was the idea Ranma and the Ryoga in this time plotted to keep him from saving Akane, but what hurt him the most was the oath he made way before he met them.

As he stared pensive about his dilemma, a couple of known faces walked down the street. . .One of them boiled the fanged teen's blood in extreme when recent memories called forth his pride. "Ranran, Kara. . .Keep going and just wait for me at the corner." Both teens saw their father leave without them and walk directly at Nabiki and Kuno who were apparently enjoying from a stroll themselves.

Two little girls played innocently with their mom, so roughness was out of the question, but something he wanted to be clear about made him march directly at the man. "Tatewaki Kuno!" Called the teen with a commanding tone. The older man saw him, but never passed through his mind what he wanted with him, letting the boy reach him carelessly.

"Yes Mr. Ryoga Hibiki?" Replied puzzled the school's director. "I need to have a personal conversation with you and if you refuse, I will take you apart. After all. . .Our time here means nothing to me in the past. . ." Nabiki looked him in the eye, ready to defend her way of life but the teen just shook his head warning her efforts, and letting her know not to mess with him right now.

"Don't worry Nabiki-san. . .My anger may get out of control sometimes, but you know me. I would never do such a thing." The older man and the boy walked away from his family while his sons and Kuno's own, waited from the chat.

Both men stayed for about twenty minutes and then they went their separate ways without speaking a word. "Ranran. . .Let's go home. I got some stuff I need to talk with your mother." There it was again, the voice he heard since his birth from a man hardened by life and turned into a militaristic dictator.


	6. Chapter 6

**The present. . .**

Tension on the Tendo Dojo reached indescribable proportions after almost two months since the cancer appeared in her system. Akane was beyond help from either Ono or the devastating effects from the chemotherapy leaving her strength and will to live behind. Kasumi and her father fought valiantly not only for the youngest girl, but as they let the raven haired teen rest, the family stared sadly at the suing representative dealing with Nabiki's case sorting a series of documents with the Dojo's title on the line.

"Very well Mr. Tendo. With the amount this house and the martial arts training hall is worth you should be able to give my company some relief from the debt your daughter owes. . .Please, sign here, here and here." Right besides the patriarch, the middle sister watched how the home where she was born vanished away in the biggest mistake she had ever done.

She not only was the subject of her own anger, but one of the guests. . .A bald man with glasses scowled at the girl with such hatred Nabiki could feel the killing instinct Genma wished for the girl, and for good reason.

Not many in Japan have the honor and wealth to own their own training hall. In fact, only a few people in the community managed to reach that goal after their family ran deep into martial art techniques and bloodlines.

Nabiki knew this was the most alluring part of the union between Ranma and Akane. Genma desired to own such magnificent house no matter if it was old or deserted, the simple thought to own such place for a man who had nothing and walked the earth like a homeless beggar gave him the satisfaction to call his life a success.

And now here we were. An older man staring daggers at the girl who took away his prize, leaving back not only poverty, but causing his son to lose his freedom thanks to his chivalrous ways to keep her out of trouble.

Soun could do nothing more but sign obediently, forcing himself to forget the future of the art and the school altogether. "I believe having a training hall is very rare and fortunate. In fact the school of indiscriminate grappling was based here by myself and my good friend. . .Sadly though, that might end as of now."

"Unfortunately you are right Tendo-kun, but I trust M'boy will find a way to get it back. . .After all." The man darted his eyes to the girl before continuing. "If 'others' messed on their own, it's only fair we the Saotomes end up savin' the day."

The man keeping the documents cared little about those nonsense, leaving the soon to be evicted family to their luck. Ranma looked from the top stairs how his family and patrimony lost all hope, and with nothing more left to do, the boy walked back to tend his sleeping girlfriend.

When he entered, the girl had the darkest of bags under her eyes, tired and bothered by the radiation and chemicals being pumped in a daily basis. Trying to cheer up, the ice queen walked near the boy with hopes to make him understand hos sorry she was. "I'm sorry Ranma-kun. . .I know this is all my fault, but what can I do?. . .I tried every trick in my book to blackmail, trade and work to have some money for an emergency like what Akane has and that's not even enough to cover that tremendous debt I owe."

Nabiki saw the tiredness in her brother-in-law, admitting all this was too overwhelming for someone who never fought except against monsters and demons. "I just hope Kuno can come through. . .It's goin' ta be hell ta be a girl forever, but there ain't no other way to solve this. . .What worries me right now is Akane. . .An' Ryoga. I wonder where is that idiot. . ."

Their conversation was stopped when Akane's breathing suddenly slowed, making a very long pause before a shallow intake of air returned her breathing to normal. Nabiki could see Ranma's fists tense by the impotency to do something.

Her breathing had become unnerving and noisy, with congestion and gurgling or rattling sounds she didn't seem to notice. Her hands and feet began to turn a shade of light blue and those beautiful lips. . .Those lips he touched not long ago were dry and pale.

The pigtailed boy tried to stay calm, but his hands slowly drove up to his hair, pulling it desperately as his mind reeled back in fear. "I. . .I-I can' take it Nabiki. . .This is too mach an' this damn body wants ta cry like a weak girl. . .I feel the need ta give hope an' cry my eyes out. . ."

The boy was powerless by this and his own illness kept progressing beyond any help anyone could give. Hormones fighting hormones. . .There was no more facial or bodily hair, not to mention his voice as thin as the curse he used so much to entice foolish men.

He forced himself to survey his changes everyday, not to be humiliated, but to remember who he was despite the girl 'he' was transforming into inadvertently. But there was no time to think about it. His love was about to extinguish soon and there was nothing. . .No one capable to do a thing. "I need ta get out of here. . ."

The two left Akane rest, walking to the living room where yet, another surprise took the family out of balance. Ranma sat on the wooden fly by the entrance, enjoying the heat of the sun when a knock told him there were visitors outside.

"Oh man. . .I hope there won' be more people after my hide. . .Or yours." Said to the ice queen with a bewildered stare. When Kasumi opened the gate, the police was once again at the door, ready to take what they asked for a month ago.

"Miss Tendo?. . .Would it be Ok if we had a word with your father?" Asked politely the man in the trench coat. "O-Of course. . .Please, follow me." The eldest daughter led the inspector and several officers through the patio and into the house just before the leading cop talked to the pigtailed boy sitting on the floor making quizzical stares at the men.

"I need to talk with you as well Mr. Saotome, please. . .Come with me." Ranma bobbed startled by his request until he closed his eyes in ire. "Don' tell me. . .It's time for me ta go ta jail?" The detective made a sour face by the disrespectful response, but nodded when that was exactly the problem.

When everyone was in the living room, Detective Tanaka threw several documents on the table, pointing out they were official orders for the apprehension of Ranma and the girl. "Mr. Saotome. I'm afraid your case is not only unique, but awful."

"The state recognizes your son-in-law as a male, leaving the curse he attracted as a disease of sorts. Therefore, they are sending him to an all male prison. I managed to work a deal for him to be taken to the local jail first for inspection and from there, to the main premises."

"The problem is the people you messed with on that restaurant. It seems they liked the girl you are able to change into, and now they want to "ripe" in jail until the designated age for a teen to stay which is twenty. Afterwards they will take you once you are "educated" as their personal waitress."

Every time the officer talked about being re-educated or used another rather tasteless adjectives, he would raise his index and middle finger, flexing them with the point to make him understand this was a ploy with the goal to turn him into a sex slave.

"I'm afraid they have good friends in high places, and despite my intervention to keep you from that outcome, I'm but a simple cop for the likes of them. . .Ranma, if may I call you like that, This won't end up nicely for you so you need to get help somehow."

Ranma felt his stomach revolve by the idea to coexist with several hundred pervert and killers, specially when they'd find his secret and turn him into something he never thought possible. "I see. . .But, what about Tatewaki Kuno!, we had a deal and he swore ta help me when this time were ta come."

The inspector rubbed his forehead tensely, separating one of the documents from the rest. "I'm so sorry Mr. Saotome, but the Kuno state did appeal your case but lost when his lawyers refused to pay the ten percent payment for the bail."

"They stopped giving Mr. Tatewaki Kuno his regular allowance when the books found discrepancies with the way he spends money in idiotic things like an egg, selling antiques to the public and even memorabilia in form of your curse. . .They denied him to act on your behalf when they considered the fifteen million yen a sum Mr. Tatewaki wasn't able to redeem."

"He used words like magic curses and his honor as a man loving another man which made his case even more sensitive. In the end he was denied and giving the minimum amount of allowance while he finished school."

Ranma wanted to laugh when he remembered the bazaar where that idiot sold very expensive stuff including the cards they had so much trouble to destroy, but after the news, there was nothing he could do to stop them, leaving no way out of his dilemma.

His eyes flew open and the knot stuck in his throat made him tremble in fear when one of the cops raised a set of steel cuffs, waiting for the boy to get up. "I'm sorry son, but at least we are taking you to jail first, there, you can talk with that Kuno brat and formulate a deal."

The teen bobbed again, this time standing up and getting arrested while Nabiki and the rest stayed back powerless by the law. 'W-Wait!. . .Don't take him!" Screamed Akane who could barely stand by the rail guards on the stairs.

"Akane!. . .Go back ta the room!" The girl disobeyed his order, taking the first step, but slipping by the weakness she had suffered for so long. Ranma lunged at her side in a matter of seconds, catching the girl on his shoulder when she almost fell.

The timing was perfect, giving time to Kasumi and Nabiki to rush and take the girl back to the bedroom. After that, there weren't any spoken words, but the longing stare of pain both teens shared. "It'll be fine. . .You'll see I'm goin' ta be out in no time. Just rest an' I'll see you later k?"

The cops let the boy give his last goodbyes before they took him out of the house. Detective Tanaka promised Soun he would personally take care of the boy at least until he was taken to prison. "Find a way Mr. Tendo. . .Otherwise he will be corrupted in ways no man is meant to."

When they left, everyone felt the need to cry, leaving into their separate rooms to do so. In the guest room, an enraged Genma kept walking in small circles, until he was fed up by the situation. He stormed stairs down where his friend guessed what was he going to do.

"Forget it old friend. This is the police we are talking about. Try to save your boy and you'll make the situation worse. . ." The bald man swatted his supportive hand away, snarling defiantly on his way outside. "An' do what instead Tendo-kun?. . .M'boy is destined ta be the greatest martial artist in the world. . .Not a sexual slave for the deprived monsters in that prison."

"Besides. . .The school is no more an' even the training hall belongs to none of us. Old friend, I got nothin' ta lose. . ." Soun felt his distrust appalling, but he had a point, letting the grown man free. "Very well Saotome-kun. . .I tried but that's your decision."

As the father and his three daughters mourned Ranma predicament with no way to free him from it, the sounds of roughhousing, struggle and finally a shot told them Genma had been subdued and taken with his son to jail.

"He is so stubborn alright, but I guess the old fool had his priorities." The Tendos closed their doors for the day, leaving all their strength for the final days where Akane would survive the terrible disease that took their mother, shutting everything else out.

Back on the truck, a handcuffed teen and a sedated Genma rode together to what it looked like the end of the road. "Pops?. . .Are you Ok?" Asked the pigtailed boy concerned. "Damn boy. . .W-We. We should've left them an' return when everythin' had calmed down, but n-no!. . .You had to p-play the hero. . ." Ranma chuckled when the fool of his father was still conscious despite the several tranquilizers shot at blank range.

"What could I do. After all, I'm his fiance an' the rightful heir to the Anythin' goes school." Said the teen mimicking eloquence. The old man scoffed his ideals off, explaining how he was meant to be the greatest without the hassle of heroics and honor.

"We are thieves M'boy!. . .Masters of the hidden an' deceivers. . .I thought you had that figured out by now." Those were bitter words Ranma found painfully true despite his efforts to always do the right thing. "I know pops. . .Why do you think I fought for so long not ta be like you?"

"I used tricks all my life to either obtain a battle or ta take advantage of my enemies. . .I even used my curse ta confuse my friends to a point where they find me irresistible." The boy's mind darted to one or two, but one stuck in his mind the most. A fanged teen who ended up dreaming about his curse after all the humiliating pranks he played with his confused mind.

"Thanks ta you I got this double body, I got more fiancées that I can shake off an' in the end, the curse will be my undoing when a bunch of men go ta town with your son. . .How's that for irony pops?" The old man found no power to respond, admitting silently all this was his fault.

When they arrived, the station was a big place. Ranma was sent into a jail alone while his father shared the communal cage. Inspector Tanaka had one last chat before attending other cases under his jurisdiction. "Mr. Saotome. . .I will schedule a cavity search and medical exam this afternoon. Tell me, should I go with a male or a female guard?"

The boy wondered nervously at the choices, noting a male guard who could know about his "special state" would be a lot more trouble than a female searching another female. "Can I be inspected as a female?" The detective found no reason why not, scheduling the check up with a female guard while he was in his curse.

"I have other things to do, but I will contact Mr. Kuno's lawyers and rely them you are here. . .Maybe he can do something for you." Ranma smiled at his wishes to help him, thanking him properly before he left the cage.

"Tanaka-san. . .I ain't good at this stuff, but. . ." The look in his eyes was genuinely, prompting the man to understand his meaning. "Don't worry Mr. Saotome, I understand you because Mr. Tendo is a good friend of mine. . .As a matter of fact, I am part of the city's council and I have personally seen your heroic deeds."

"The problem here is what you did while trying to help Miss Nabiki Tendo. Sometimes is so easy escape a difficult situation by the simplest of ways. . .but staying and taking responsibility for your actions is hard to do, despite any reasons you might have. Remember, even after you left, Miss Nabiki still kept messing with other establishments."

"Besides, you escaped from a very luxurious restaurant in Hong Kong. These rich people you enticed are powerful beyond of what I can do to help. I'm afraid that with all my influences, an extradition to China by your crime is the end after you finish your sentence here."

That sounded so true when the boy recalled what she said before. Ranma just had used a kettle of hot water, sitting on the couch of a helicopter while Nabiki asked him. "Weren't you sold?" The boy seethed by her despondent and nonchalantly way to talk, but the idea of the cost on the charter kept raising the debt forcing the teen to forget the past and move on.

With a last condescending look, the detective grinned one of those smiles telling him this was a big deal with no chance to escape, returning to other assignations as he did so. Ranma held tight the bars separating him from the free people working, declaring or being processed in the station.

"Well, at least I'm alone now. . .I should take some rest and wait for that exam." The boy found no other remedy but to enjoy his time before all hell would break loose. What Ranma noticed now wasn't what was going on, but who he wasn't thinking about.

Akane had become the hardest responsibility he ever worked on. The pigtailed teen of course loved her, but living all the time staring at a dying patient took so much from him, leaving others in his aching heart drown away. "Damn it Ryoga. . .Where in the hell are you. . ."

He could see how Akane's hair became thin and white on some parts. Doctor Tofu assured him some patients never lost their hair permanently by the chemotherapy, but there were cases where the hair would fall down from the radiation.

Akane's never fell except for the color, but it wasn't just that. Ranma stared at her mood, forcing to remember the unstoppable girl sending him with a mallet into the skies, and now showing nothing more than a labored breathing and a constant teen sleeping day and night.

It felt horrible to think how he reacted so indifferently towards the girl, but he was relieved. . .Relieved from seeing his love wither and dry. To see her lose her life from the disease "and" the cure. . .To be away instead of seeing her die and cry besides her lifeless body with no other choice but to mourn her.

Just as his thoughts betrayed him, the dreams working in his mind took him to a graveyard far away. There were tall trees, a vast landscape and tombstones everywhere. The pigtailed boy saw himself right besides a grave with Akane's name. . .A cold and white granite stone guarding the remains of a girl he fell in love long ago.

Right on the other side from there were the Tendos, crying and regretting their loss with friends and neighbors. He tried to talk. To tell them how sorry he was for the missing girl, but there was no voice coming out of his mouth.

The teen struggled to talk until another person appeared besides. "Don't blame yourself Ranma. . .After all we all knew this was bound to happen. What we need to do now is get you married to Ryoga before the others come claiming you."

When he turned, Akane's transparent form holding a bag of the chemical agents hanging from a metal stand. "I know how you feel deep down so stop arguing and accept you really love him. He may not be what you wanted, but what will it take to make you happy?"

"You don't love Ukyo, and Shampoo has a different motive to claim your union. . .There could be others, but can't you see how much he is trying to save you?. He swore to make me happy, but he promised to give you the same gift, think beyond gender and accept he could complete you."

The girl vanished from sight, but the voice kept repeating his name as a final farewell. "Ranma. . .Ranma. . .Ranma!" Came a third time his name when he snapped from his dreams, noting no one was working on the desks except for the inspector staring at him, using his name but with another tone.

"Ranma. .Mr. Ranma Saotome. It's time." The man opened the gate, leading the boy towards the public bathroom before taking him into the examination room. Most convicts noticed the boy going into the male side, but when they saw a redhead come out, whistles and cooing made the girl press her steps.

It was a terrible thing to say or even think, but he sighed when there was no chance he would survive her hell or the one soon to be his. When the inspector took her through corridors leading yo tinier rooms Ranma saw a new side from fear, but there was no time when the girl stepped into a special room, reality starting to set in his mind, and understanding there was no chance to flee from the hell he was about to encounter as a girl.

In there, a white curtain and a tiny table waited for the girl to undress and show herself to the guard. Detective Tanaka was the chaperon in charge to witness the exam and after seeing the girl thoroughly, he asked the guard to leave the place.

Holding a cup with hot water, he proceeded to make sure everything was in order. "Mr. Saotome. . .In request from Nabiki Tendo I need to see your male form as well. This won't leave this room, but she told me I must take some measures in your case."

The redhead accepted, pouring the water and turning immediately into the boy. The older man understood now the differences between a normal male boy and him. "I see. . .I guess I will give you one of the shirts female convicts use to keep their chest flat, and on top an orange overall. Tell me. . .Is that caused by some type of hormone treatment?"

The boy explained how the curse acted, bombarding his male body with the excess estrogen every time he changed. "Now I know why they call it a curse. . .Very well. I'll do my best to keep this private, I'll request for your showers to be taken alone, but understand this Mr. Saotome. . .Sooner or later they will find out and then. . ."

Ranma knew that as well, and although he was a master of his art, how many people could he defeat before being overwhelmed. . .30?, 40?. . .The inspector told him the facility he was going in housed near forty-seven thousand prisoners. . .Hundreds set alone at one time.

"You are a minor, so the Kawagoe Juvenile prison will be your stay. Now, don't get me wrong, juvenile is just a title. many of the males in there are older. . .Others your age and to make matters worse the guards themselves aren't exactly nice people."

"The point is. . .You won't last a day in there and the company suing you plans to leave you for a very long time. I'll do my best like I said, but when that time comes in five days from now, there won't be a thing I can do to protect you."

The detective gave the several clothes to the boy, inspecting his new flat chest and manly form before they went back to the cage. "Your father will be detained for fifteen days, and then released for misbehavior." After he left Ranma alone, the man in the trench coat left to attend the appointment the boy had with Kuno the next day.

When he arrived to his caged room, most men on the other side stared at him with creepy smiles on their faces. "I see the rumor was true. . .The boy who turns into a girl is with us boys. . ." Ranma started to feel a tinge of desperation when they used their eyes and hands to ogle him in his male state and the sing-song tone of his words made his skin crawl to no end.

"I'm sure by the time we get to prison, you'll be a recognized man. After all, a hidden full-fledged woman is a commodity, any man controlling you will be a king in there." Said a rough looking man with tattoos on his arms.

"Think about it boy. . .Once you accept that, your life will go easier and even if you try those techniques of yours, we can take charge no matter how many fall. You won't last one hour before we tame you" The laughter and despondent mannerisms made the boy sit on the farthest side of the cage, looking away while his mind left his body and surrounding areas.

"_They are right. . .I can use any of my techniques but how ta subdue all of them!. D-Damn. . .How in the hell can I get out of here_." Ranma was stuck when there were no ways out of this problem, and although the situation seemed hopeless, Ryoga kept popping in his mind.

"_Damn idiot. . .You had ta see me like that an' run_." The thought to see the fear on his face made the teen snarl quietly, noting how afraid his friend was from the freak he had become. _"He saw me an' ran. . .I guess if he really likes me it's understandable he got so freaked out, but what if I'm really a deformed monster. What if I'm not really a man, but a female joke of a woman_."

His thinking kept taking him to all the stupidities he did as a girl. On the beach he accepted the invitations of males, he learned to dress, use cosmetics and even move sensually like a woman would do to attract other men. . .In the end he became a cross-dresser like some of his enemies branded him.

He chuckled bitterly by the result of his father's teachings as a thief and a deceiver, admitting that maybe. . .Just maybe Ryoga was right all along. "_I caused him ta have dreams 'bout me. . .I seduced him so many times an' he even declared his love when we hid behind the bushes "that" time_."

Ranma kept thinking when Akane and the lost boy had their date on the boats. He had worked his way as Ryoga's fiancee, utilizing underhanded ways to keep him hidden and using his curse like a flag to buy his loyalty towards the strange brunette. "_He groped me an' although I tried ta push him away, he was too strong_."

"_He hugged me, we fell to the ground and he kept adoring me by my stupid manipulation an' when Akane finally caught up to us, I saw his pain. . .He betrayed his love for her 'cuse he loved me_!" His lower lip quivered for a moment, realizing maybe. . .Just maybe this was Karma telling him it was the time to pay for his indiscretions.

"_Maybe I'm meant ta be used this way. . .I did it ta myself freely, an' after seein' how I can turn heads, I think is time ta pay for my mistakes_." That was a dangerous thought he began to accept as true. Ranma slowly moved from his unmovable reason to be a man among men, and into the idea to be a slave. . .A woman willing to please and obey, causing his unstable gender issues to emphasize his acceptance.

Their eyes didn't help one bit, but caused him to reevaluate his priorities. Akane had weeks at most, Nabiki would soon be taken and the family he learned to love would be no more, he was going to be used in ways he knew would change him forever and at the end of all this, his best friend was maybe dead by the desperate conviction to save them.

"There ain't no way out of this an' at this point why even try. . ." As he said that, his steely blue eyes turned another shade of gray, letting fear and shame enter his soul, accepting his fate as a matter of fact. In the recess of his mind though, a tiny speck of a thought lingered just long enough to make him smile endearingly. "P-Please Ryoga. . .I need you more than ever. . ."

* * *

**The Future. . .**

Back on the future, a sudden sharp pain made the fanged boy wince and fall from the bed. He was sweating madly and his eyes were out of focus, but he could feel it. "R-Ranma. . .Something is very, very wrong." The boy got up, leaving his room in the middle of the night towards the living room.

His trashing made some of the other members wake up, but when Ryoga sneaked past his room, there was no one on the corridor. After he sighed relieved, he restarted his tiptoeing towards the stairs. "You know Ryoga. . .You don' need ta sneak in this house. . ."

When he heard that voice, a heartbeat skipped and stopped, forcing his hand to grab his chest by the scare. "Damn it Ranma!. . .Don't sneak up like that either!" His voice was extremely reduced, but the force of his pushing words meant how afraid he was from the others to wake up.

"S-Sorry. . .I'm just sayin'. . ." After they settled by the rail of the stairs, the boy played distractedly with it while the redheaded woman tried to guess his motives to wake at such ungodly hour. "Ryoga-kun?. . .Is everythin' alright?"

"No Ranma. . .Everything is wrong. I'm doing my best to understand why would you like someone like me. . .I want to know what happened to Ukyo or Shampoo who fought you with tooth and nail against Akane in my time."

"I want to know why would you accept giving up when the curse affected your real self. . ." His chest raised up and down, waiting patiently for the woman to explain his doubts. "Ryoga. It ain't as easy as you make it out ta be."

"When you go back, you'll see the kind of trouble I get an' what's worse, you will see what Akane did ta me after I took care of her in the last days." The woman walked at his side, resting his arm on the rail while her other played with his bangs.

"I used ta take Ranran ta sleep by playin' like this. . .He is exactly like you." Ryoga didn't feel like complaining, enjoying the sensation more like a mother caring her young than a friend doing it to another friend. When Ranma noticed his mellow and purring, the woman was ecstatic, working his bangs at her leisure.

"My feelings for Ucchan will always be like a sister. Her father gave her ta me, but it was pops who made the deal without takin' into account the relationship we had since children. I knew Shampoo wanted a husband to save face, an' even if you don' believe me, I promised Mousse I would never go after her unless he dropped the ball. . .Guess he didn' 'cuse they left together after I went full girl."

The woman found the sensation so soothing, her body began to relax, feeling no need to act nervously around him. "Why did I stuck with you. . .Hmm. . ." Too late the boy realized she was scanning his eyes. Ryoga felt the strong look those blue eyes made on him, making him blush so intensely, the teen felt utterly awkward.

"S-Stop looking at me like that. . .Ranma!" Said the boy with clenched teeth. She instead of looking away, smiled and told him. "There. . .That's the look I found when I chose you. Sorry Ryoga-kun, but you didn' do a thing. . .I was the one imposing the rules an' you've been the greatest of friends an' mates I could ever wish for, accepted them unconditionally."

"About me givin' up being a guy. Gee. . .That's a tough one. My husband is going ta tell you somethin' before you leave. . .Trust me, I can change back into "him" but I don' want ta. For my sake, my children an' my family, but he tried and still tries ta cure me."

Ryoga never thought there could be a cure for that. He was sure the next morning the two Ryogas would need to talk seriously about that besides Ranran's power to heal Akane. "One last thing though. . .When I mentioned Nabiki. . .Why did you get so upset?" wondered the boy.

The mention of that name made such an impression, Ryoga saw how the woman grabbed the rail with both hands, bending it out of shape by the sheer anger prompting a sneer in response. "She is my friend and a sister, but he went too far once an' that I will never forgive."

After she calmed down, Ranma preferred not to explain that part, deciding it was better to leave the boy alone and instead walked to the kitchen and make some tea for them. Ryoga opted not to mention that name again, letting her go while he made his way through the fly of stairs.

When he arrived downstairs, there it was. . .Some kind of machine with a keyboard like the old typewriters and a screen as flat as a notebook. Ryoga kept looking for buttons, pressing every letter on the keyboard, turning on and off the screen but nothing would make it go off.

"Dad?" Asked the little girl as she rubbed her eyes, awaken by the noisy struggles from earlier. "Kara!. . .I need to find dates!. . I got to know what's going on back then. . ." The girl walked at his side, pushing what it looked like a clear button well hidden on top of the metal box besides the screen and the keyboard.

After a second the screen came alive with all manner of words and colors. The boy saw how the apparatus took a life of its own, spitting images and sounds he had never seen before. "Ok dad. . .We are online. What do you want to find?" The boy had no idea what she just said, but his dream screamed of big trouble back in time.

"Ask it what happens this exact date, seventeen years ago in Nerima. . .I need to know what's going on." The girl masterfully typed dates, places and data with such speed Ryoga could barely see her fingers blur on the keyboard.

"Here. . ." Said before making the biggest of yawns. "At this time great uncle Tendo sold the Dojo. . .In that same date mom was arrested and taken to the local jail where she was detained for five days before sent to the juvenile prison in Kawagoe city."

Ryoga balled his fists, knowing something was falling apart despite his distance and time apart from each other. "Tell me about Akane. . .Can that thing tell me how is she now?" The girl looked everywhere, reaching over old forums, blogs and local news but nothing was relevant information for his request.

"She was 'bout ta die. . .There were only a few weeks left before she succumbed to the cancer." Both teens turned to see an older Ranma holding a cup of tea on one hand while on the other two for them. Ryoga moved to where the woman fixed the tea on the table, leaving his daughter back on the strange machine, while rushing at the woman and grabbing her shoulders tensely.

"What happened Ranma. . .Please!. . .I need to know what happened to you today, seventeen years ago." The woman slowly drove a hand to her face, hoping to hide the tears slowly shedding uncontrollably. "I-I'm stuck Ryoga. . .I see men's eyes ogling me and wishing ta take me apart as a woman."

"I remember I cried in silence, an' as I tried ta hide from their perverted looks, I began ta accept my fate but. . .In the midst of my fall, a tiny thought made me cringe in pain an' beg at the only person capable ta save me. . .The only one I believed for a moment who could fix all my hell. I begged you ta go back in time an' save me from my fate Ryoga-kun. . ."

The fanged boy's tears started to fall by now. The pain and anguish he felt in his dreams told him they weren't his, but his friend asking for help. Completely out of breath, the teen let go of the woman, walking decidedly outside where he knew two friends waited for him.

"Ryoga!. . .You can' leave now!. . .You don' even got the cure. What's the point on tryin'?" Yelled the older redhead as she saw him forcing his steps with such determination. "I can't stay Ranma!. . .You are my very best friend. I won't see you suffer while I'm enjoying myself here. . .I must go now!"

He tried and tried, slowly feeling his feet taking off. The power was there, after all, almost a month had passed so the time to recharge the energy needed to travel was almost ready. When he felt Ranma's eyes darting from the door, he felt the need to smile back, nodding with a feeling of satisfaction his heart was in the right place despite his lack of the cure.

"I will save you Ranma. . .Count on it. . ." The woman knew he did, but things were changing, moving the pattern into shapeless forms not according with the original timeline. "Yes! I can feel it!" Ryoga was about to jump when his older version managed to grab him, pushing him against the ground and forcing him to defuse his technique.

"What are you doing!. . .Ranma needs me. I must go and save her!" Begged the boy with trembling eyes. "And do what!. . .You will get there, get lost trying to find him and lose all hope to save your loved ones?. . .Planning Ryoga. . .You need to plan everything to perfection."

"Remember. . .When Ranma is taken to Jail, he is in custody for five days from now. . .We got five days to prepare and then you can jump. Besides. . ." The older man stopped from talking but by now the boy had an idea of what he was going to say.

This time, the younger Ryoga grabbed his shirt, pulling each other face to face. "Besides. . .You need me to take Ranran with me isn't?. . .Why!. . .Why would he need to go back?" The younger version stared puzzled for the response while the older version bit his lower lip when he needed to come clear. Neither Ranma or the kids knew the reality of his plans, but when the older version of the fanged boy let go of him, he felt there was no escape from this.

"Because. . .Because Ranran "is" the cure. . ." Ranma stared at her husband, making "o" shapes with her lips while Kara tilted her head quizzically. "What are you talkin' 'bout. . .?" Demanded the woman with blazing fire in her eyes.

Defeated, the man walked closer to his son, hugging him endearing abandon, the boy didn't know how to react. "Ranran. . .I'm so sorry for being a hard man on you. Just as him when I was young, I too have nightmares and dreams from the future now."

"I dream about your death son, and that. . ." He tried to contain his tears, but they were freely leaving his aching eyes despite his constant blinking trying to keep them away. "I. . .I-I. . ." Once again he drove the back of his sleeve to his face, cleaning the droplets of salty fluid blinding his sight and forcing the man to fall on his knees.

"I see you slowly vanishing out of my grasp. . .I-I see your mother going crazy when you vanish from our lives. . ." His hand drives to his hair, brushing it ever so lightly by the impotence from his efforts to keep him alive.

"I can't. . .I can't bear to live that in real life son. . .I love you. Maybe I've never said it before, but I love you beyond anything in my life. . .You, Kara and your mother are the only persons keeping me from exploding into the mess I've become over the years and. . ."

He tried to articulate with more emphasis what he wanted to do for so long but at this point Ranma lunged at his side, hugging him while her own tears mingled with his. "Damn it you idiot!. . .Why didn' you ever told me 'bout that!?"

"And say what!?. . .That my first son and pride of my life would be extinguished!. . .Disintegrated the moment I travel back in time!?. . .That "our" son disappears and I won't ever see him again?. . .I'm sorry, but my nightmares are my own cross to bear."

Ranma felt so ashamed by their talk earlier. They argued about Nabiki's incident, and although the woman learned to love him, jealousy was something she was never able to control. She kissed him passionately, ignoring the stares from the others when they shared more than friendship, but real love as a family.

When they separated, the man kissed Ranryu's forehead, smiling as he explained why he did what he did. "Ryoga. . .Do you remember the time when you traveled into the future the first time?. . .You brought a newspaper and a magazine from that time and then what happened?"

The boy remembered, noting how they blew a few seconds after they were set on a different timeline. "That's right. . .There can't be a foreign object in a different time without time itself resetting its place. Now imagine. . .How can you take the cure with you if it will explode the moment you get there?"

"There wouldn't be a chance to cure Akane even after I tried so hard to get it." Answered the boy realizing why he did it. "B-But what about other things. . .Say, my clothing for example." The man agreed with his way of thinking since he thought about it as well.

"Clothing is constantly attached to us, our energy keeps them as part of who we are, but despite of how we survive the jump, the only lapse of time we are able to last is a few days past a month. . .I survived going back thanks to Ranma who loved me before that time expired."

"So this is what you need to know before jumping." This was the serious information Ryoga needed before traveling through time. The family decided to gather in the living room, ready to hear what his father planned all alone in the last decade or so.

"Ranran. . .When I started to have these dreams you were but an infant, maybe four or five and I already saw your death like an everyday nightly event. I cried, I. . .I trained too hard trying to forget the hallucinations, but they came stronger and harder, leaving me with no option but to accept them."

"I studied several books about alternate dimensions and crazy stuff like that over the years. I managed to buy several places I found on my travels and they became the empire we have now, but what I realized is that if I would not send you back in time, you would cease to exist in the now."

The man passed his arms around Ranma's shoulders, slightly scrubbing her forehead with his as a show of affection. Then he stared at her, asking lenience for his mistakes. "I promised never to tell this to Ranma fearful that as a mother she would try to stop myself from traveling back."

"Believe me. . .There is a big difference between dying and ceasing to exist. If you were to travel and find someone who could feed your lifeline with a powerful drive like real love, you would become Ranryu Hibiki born from unknown parents, but you would be living in that timeline."

He than exchanged looks with his younger self, asking him to understand his position. "Ryoga. . .I have thought about your prompting voyage. When I jumped in my time, I made an interminable loophole of me going back and forth, but when you traveled, that loophole stopped thanks to your sooner arrival."

"I was thinking that maybe Ranran could stop it, but you did it instead and what's more. . .You will be able to save Akane unlike me. That!. . .Is the deal breaker." He looked at Ranma and his children before confiding them with something he had omitted since day one.

"If you save her, than there is a chance Ranma will stay at her side. If that's the case you have thirty-eight days to find a strong woman who can love you as much as she has loved me. . .That's the trick. I was about to vanish from existence when Ranma accepted and gave me the power to stay back in my timeline. I'm afraid that if Ranma stays with Akane, you will die after that month if no one loves you strong enough to keep you there."

The young Ryoga finally uncovered the secret keeping the transformation from friends to lovers hidden from his grasp. His mind flew in awe when the image of a dying lost boy would do to a boy loosing his love at the same time thanks to the cancer. "Then. . .That's what made you accept me Ranma?"

The older redhead nodded with a smile, admitting he was right on the trial. "You don' know what ceasing ta exist means Ryoga-kun. I saw you break apart with screams and grunts. . .The boy who stayed at my side after Akane died gettin' pulled apart right in front of me. I couldn't take it, I just couldn't an' I begged you to consider the possibility. . .An' you did. You accepted me an' we became a couple right then."

That wasn't something the lost boy counted on. He swore saving his friends, joking about his death as an ultimate sacrifice. . .Who would have known that was going to be the price. With a chuckle, the teen accepted his faith, looking at the redhead with defeated eyes.

"Then so be it. I swore to deliver you to Akane-san and that is what I'm going to do. . .You will have a beautiful family and I know deep down Kara will be part of it. Maybe not with that adorable fang sticking out like all my family have, but she will be a full Saotome ready to claim the title of the Anything goes."

He tried to make it a joke, but his daughter was in tears, running at him and hitting him on the chest. "No!. . I want to be a Hibiki dad. . .I love having mom and you as my parents. I will not accept anything else." Her redden face and that fang sticking out made the boy grin, caressing her face as a tear threatened to spill.

"I-I'm sorry baby, but Ranma belongs to Akane. . .It has always been like this. The only reason we are together is because she died, but I can correct that. . .I'm so sorry." The girl couldn't contain her frustration any longer, grasping his shirt as her tears flowed freely.

She cried so painfully the family felt terrible, yet, Ryoga had a mission to complete and he knew she would be safe. "What about Ranran, Ryoga-san?. . .Why can't he be like Kara?" Asked the boy to himself. With some reservation the older man saw at his wife, winning a blush from the woman.

"Because a few days after she saved me from my death Ranma gets pregnant from Ranran. Ryoga. . .If you save Akane, Ranma will stay at her side and my son will cease to exist a month from then. . .I see him in my dreams, so that means you succeeded in taking him away from me. . ."

No one had anything to say now. The plan became so complicated young Ryoga had no idea what to do. "I-I accept my death as a welcoming gift, but I will not endanger Ranran on this. How can I save one person and doom another?. . .How to save her "and" build my life with my Ranma, and children when Akane will be alive and my Ranma would never understand?"

His two questions kept lingering in his mind with no idea how to solve it, until his older self talked again. "That was my problem Ryoga. I arrived too late, but I gave up without trying again. . .Who knows, maybe I could have moved again from past to future until I could get her cured."

"But it didn't work. I needed almost two months to re-energize the technique and I was about to die in one. There was no other option but to be erased or accept the immense favor this woman gave me all those years ago." Finished with his hand reaching for the redhead's chin and staring intently at those blue eyes.

"Ranma made an incredible sacrifice to accept me when she was a boy Ryoga, don't forget that ever. She had some issues but I love and respect her decision to become one hundred percent female." When he said that, it came to the lost boy the memory about her going through surgery.

"You mean, it was Ranma's decision to change completely?" The grown man assented, giving the time for his wife to explain. "Ryoga-kun, it's kind of complicated but I passed for many struggles. . .I was so busy saving Akane and Nabiki that I lost sight of who I was, an' even though you know what Kuno did, what you don' know is the result of his mental attacks."

"My defenses fell. . .Prison proved to be the last wall crumbling and when you died on my arms my heart broke in pieces. Somethin' deep down made me feel a love capable ta feed your life. . .When we kissed right then I saw you come ta life, an' that's what told me I had a chance ta repair all damages I did."

She extended her hand waiting for the boy to catch it over the table. "Don' get me wrong man. . .I'm still me an' not a woman. . .You made sure to never lose sight of that despite time an' although givin' birth did a big number in my mind on the long run, thankfully you came again ta remind me that old memory as the last piece of my missin' puzzle."

They talked about how facts developed on their own and how patterns changed when he arrived. Still, there were other changes they were about to happen and neither Ryogas knew how they would affect the timeline. "If you save Akane, she will be alive but what's more. . .Ranma could marry her, and you may end up dead. . .The point is, I don't know if I'll cease to exist now since my dreams don't tell me anything, but we'll see tonight."

After they talked about possible changes and outcomes, the older man asked Ranryu to stay at his side, asking him politely to repeat what he taught him over the years. "16.499 degrees North, 11.95 degrees East. . .12.99 North, 20.74 East."

The boy kept repeating several locations memorized over the years with the help of his father. When the family saw several coordinates displayed by memory alone, they wondered what that meant. "Ryoga. . .Ranran has memorized about a dozen secret mines I have bought to this day." announced proudly the man.

"They haven't been found over the years and will come in handy for you to pay Ranma and Nabiki's debt. Look on the three backpacks you have at home and the one with the Tendos, the red gem you got from the tribe in Africa around that period is a 5.11 red diamond well worth thirty million yen, not to mention the uncut 478-carat diamond at the bottom of the pack going for another thirty million yen around that time."

Younger Ryoga was amazed he could remember that much for over a dozen years, but that sure helped him make things easier. "T-Thanks, I should be able to save Ranma at the same time Ranran saves Akane." That made the older man recall.

"Oh! That's right. . .You need to find a transfusion machine connected between Ranran and Akane. He knows the amount of blood transferred and how often. It has to be daily and by the time the cancer subsides, she should be fine."

Every piece of the puzzle started to fall perfectly in place. Everyone kept talking during supper, discussing how and where would Ranma would be during his transportation to prison. The older couple hugged every now and then while the kids talked secretively away from them.

"Look at Kara Ryoga. . .She is so angry at Ranran. Would you blame her now that she knows he could die?" Asked Ranma at her husband. "I know dear, but I tried to keep you from living the hell I was all these years. . .To wait for someone's death is the worst of punishment, you know that very well honey."

Ranma agreed, thinking on the sleepless nights and the days watching Akane slowly deteriorate. A last hug made the two teens became closer than ever. Karen left her brother alone, walking straight towards her parents but not before turning around and punching young Ryoga with all her strength.

The boy tumbled twice until the wall proved a nice deterrent. "Ouch!. . ." Said but stopped when the girl ran at her parents, holding them tight together. "If he makes it. . .Will I ever see you as my parents mom?" The woman smiled slyly, winking ever so slightly before hugging her back.

"Oh. . .I think some miracle might just happen. . .We'll let time decide. . ." The older man agreed despite his younger self shaking negatively from their denial. When everyone went to bed, Ryoga counted four days left before jumping back with his son.

"four days Ranma. . .Wait for me and I'll be there to marry you. . ." When he realized the game of words could mean the boy marrying him instead of Akane, he tried to re-phrase but no one heard so it was no big deal.

The night was warm and nice, a very suitable mood for everyone forcing their eyes close . Young Ryoga found no other recurring nightmare about his friends. Older Ryoga did see his son still vanish, just not as harshly as before, and the girls were barely able to close an eyelid while their minds raced about a different family instead of the harmonic one they had.

The next morning proved to be a new day literally for everyone. Ranryu raced his sister through the stairs when the aroma of American style breakfast flooded the house. When they arrived down, all manner of pancakes, sweet rice, Daifuku and green tea ice cream decorated the table in amounts made for a buffet.

"Wow!. . .Mom went to town with the food again dad!" As the man descended from the second floor, he too was surprised by the vast selection at his disposal. Young Ryoga and Ranma exited the kitchen with a platter filled with Chi Chi Dango Mochi, one of the desserts Ryoga learned over his travels.

"What's the occasion" Asked the patriarch. With some trepidation Ranma served personally their plates and after she looked flustered at the lost boy, she knelt before her man. The trepidation in her movements told the man she was preparing to surprise him, but what would be so important now when their son was about to leave their lives.

The redhead gave him a peck on the cheek, bringing forth from her back a plastic stick she held firmly on the hand. The older man saw the two lines staring back at him. . .The same two lines she got when Karen was conceived.

"Y-You don't mean. . .?" Ranma smiled and nodded in a slow, collected manner. "Oh yeah. . .One in the oven an' ready to come this way honey." The next big word came from Ranryu, Karen and the other Ryoga when both adults lunged at each other ignoring the family altogether.

"EEWW!. . .Don't do that here pops!" When the teens decided to leave their make out session alone, Ryoga told them to move the food away, taking the tasty morsels back to the kitchen table. After fifteen minutes a blushing couple re-join them, acting meekly after the display they did back there.

"Don't worry daddy. . .Every other week we can hear the howling screams in the middle of the night." Both Ranma and the older Ryoga's blanching face made the rest laugh, lightening the mood around the house after their embarrassment was complete.

They decided to leave the arguments for later, digging in instead with so many delicious food. "Sorry kids, but I never thought I would be lucky a third time, specially after. . ." He stopped talking, staring at his son at the same time a tear threatened to swell again.

"Don't worry pops. . .You and I will be friends forever once I return with you. I will be Kara's best uncle and I will protect you and mom regardless of who you are married to." The detail made the man grab the back of his neck, bumping foreheads with him before he told him about the last three days.

"Thanks son. As of today though, school has no meaning to you two because we need to prepare for the jump. Kara. . .I need you to stay with your mother at all times and I give you permission to "break free". . ." The phrase made the girl giddy, jumping like a little child at the same time the girl closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released her pent up power.

The fanged teen's mouth hanged open when her Chi raised as high as his during the ShiShi-Hokodan training. "Since when can you do that!?" The girl smiled at his young father, goading his question with one of his own.

"Want to know since when? Fight me and find out." Ryoga loved where this was going, accepting the challenge right after he asked Ranryu the same question. Ranma's son saw pleadingly at his father, gaining the same response he gave to his sister.

"Ranran!. . .Make sure Kara don't over do it with that idiot, he has to be in shape for the jump. You can spar with her though." The order sent chills to Ranryu's spine. His father never let them fight before because of the age difference. . .But now it seemed this would be the last chance they had to bond as siblings.

Sparing was not the word Ryoga expected when her tiny daughter launched all manner of attacks. She seemed to favor strong punches with so much aftershock that the fanged boy started to feel the pain seconds later.

"Man. . .Who taught you to hit like a truck!?" The girl wasn't impressed with her father, walking in circles around the boy like a hawk observing his prey. "You did dad. . .You let the Bakusai-Tenketsu effect ripple through your normal attacks, creating the first Ishi no Hanma style, or stone hammer technique."

To make the demonstration effective, the twelve year old went ahead with a series of steps dragging her feet in such a way Ryoga could not find a good opening. He had seen before something like that style in the Yamasen-Ken Akane talked about a few moths ago.

It was the same principal but this was stronger. . .Stronger than mint's punches when they fought. The more he covered and countered the hits she landed, the more he had to back off, shaking rapidly his hands by the sheer painful impact.

"Man!. . .That hurts." Said when a closed fist to fist left him almost incapacitated while the tiny girl smiled coyly at him. "What's wrong dad. . .Afraid a little girl is going to kick your butt?" Ryoga wanted to take the taunt seriously and get mad, but he simply couldn't.

Instead he focused on her movements, waiting the right moment to strike. Again, the way she move was almost flawless when they were face to face, but there was something about the way she moved from the back to the side.

"Yes!. . .I can see you now. . ." Replied the teen, charging at the girl with purpose. Kara blanched by his warning, wondering if he had caught up to the only weakness she had from a non mastered technique. Oh yeah, she thought the moment he veered to a side, avoiding her frontal attacks and realized her tell on the back of her heels had been discovered.

Ryoga swept the girl from her back stance, kicking her lower heel in the exact moment she pressed all her body on the last attack. "Gotcha!" When the girl lost balance, her whole power behind the move vanished and almost dropped to the floor if it wasn't for Ryoga.

When he caught her in mid fall, the girl fell on his arms, feeling the need to hug him as her secret move. "D-Dad. . .Please don't separate us. Marry mom and makes us a family." That come back he didn't expect, forcing his eyes down in shame while his clicking tongue told the girl he was upset.

"I don't know Kara. . .I came here for a reason and I knew Ranma loves Akane more than he'd ever love me. I need to do what's right and make my promise valid after all I've been through. . .Have faith in me and maybe you'll be my daughter. Who knows. . .I can try with Ukyo or Akari once I get there."

The option didn't sound so appealing, but there wasn't much they could do. After Ranryu joined them in the hall, the spar went between siblings where a bewildered Ryoga saw true power for the first time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Present. . .**

Ranma reached a sad but obvious conclusion this far, meals weren't exactly filling or enjoyable in jail. White rice and a pickle sure left the sentenced boy wishing for a nice warm breakfast made by Kasumi, but who was he trying to kid when he knew there wouldn't be anymore nice meals, hot beds or fiancées making his life a living hell.

The last thought made the boy chuckle, unaware of the snickering taunts other inmates made when the sound of his reserved laughter enticed their misplaced lust. "Good. . .Have some good laughs baby because soon. . .Soon we'll be all laughing together."

The comment sent chills through his body, but there was nothing he could do. Even his father stayed on the same spot looking into the blue sky through a small window by the ceiling and hoping his son would be safe from harm. He tried to protect him and got beaten, than he went ballistic with some of his less dangerous moves and the police added another fifteen days right after they forced him not to do that again.

Of course the other men just smiled, waited for the guards to move on to do other things and beat the old man some more. So here we are. . .A tired bald man resting on his back with no idea how to solve all this mess, and his son almost ready to be sent away into the cruelest of punishments.

"Ranma Saotome!. . .You have visitors" Called one of the guards, followed by Kasumi and Soun. "Mr. Tendo. . .Kasumi-san, what are you doing here?" Wondered the boy with sparkling lights in his eyes. "Ranma-kun, we came to inform you we are about to be evicted. In eight days they will take the hall and everything in it as part of Nabiki's debt."

"Son. . .Akane sends her regards and she apologized for not coming. She really insisted but the weakness in her joints is beyond the help of any wheelchair or rolling bed so we had to leave her back." The man saw the boy being caged separate from the others, understanding how his curse and inability to defend himself was a bad combination in this place.

"Mr. Sao Tanaka was kind enough to keep his word I see. Good. . .Hopefully our lawyer would be here momentarily, but I foresee no much change from this situation." Finally the older man grabbed the boy by his shoulder, shaking it ever so slightly as his mustache tugged up with an honest smile.

"Thanks son for trying to save my daughter Nabiki. . .This is all my fault for not trying to keep that girl on a leash, but there is no changing the past I guess." The example made Ranma recall certain someone working on that, but the time was almost out and there was no sign of him.

"Yeah well. . .Big fat of good that made us after the debt that bastard impugned on Nabiki. Detective Tanaka told me he skipped the hospital bills by sending them to the Tendo Dojo, not to mention the name and address Nabiki gave him as part of their so called date so they could contact her in case of an emergency."

As they talked about the misfortunes Soun knew they were bound to get, a woman in her mid thirties arrived right next to the solitary cage, carrying on her hands a box filled with folders. "Mr. Saotome is it?" The boy nodded, standing from his sitting position and walking closer to the bars.

"My name is Aika Satou, and I will represent you in court this next Monday. Now, the reason I have come four days prior to your appointment is because of the amount of charges against you." When she said that, the woman dropped the box on the floor, alerting Ranma with a loud thud and revealing dozens of documents against his innocence.

Soun and Ranma bulged eyes almost fell by the sheer amount of documents, looking at each other puzzled by the papers. "This ain't right!. . .I had ta help Nabiki in the restaurant, an' yes. . .I know I wasn' supposed ta leave, but from that to all this stuff there's a big difference."

"At first I thought so as well Mr. Saotome." Reaffirmed the lawyer with a stern look. "But after the police caught Miss Nabiki trying to flee Nerima two days ago, they started to ask questions around your house. It seems you, among other young teenagers have vandalized, destroyed and even disrespected many of the fine citizens living there."

The woman pulled from the stack of papers a document, ready to read some of the complaints against the boy, but not before the young convict set all his attention on her. When he did so, Miss Satou fixed her crooked glassed and read tensely from the folder. "According to the reports, over the two years you lived in the Tendo residence, you have used that special disease of yours to take advantage of other men. I have here dozens of vendors and establishment owners swearing they didn't know you were a boy."

"They declared how you used that perverted look to sneak into their good side, gaining access to a vast amount of free goodies and food. Others have reluctantly admitted you were most of the time flirting provocatively with them. A young man, we had to force a confession out of his misguided emotions towards you declared, he knew you were really his "tea kettle goddess". . .Whatever that means."

Ranma rolled his eyes defeated when it was obvious they forced Kuno into explaining how he felt, making him look bad despite his better wishes to defend him. "I could go on and on, but the problem here is not me, but the judge when he sees all this."

"Miss Nabiki isn't very safe either. We found several teenage girls accusing her of extortion and blackmail, fraud and even run illegal betting games around her high school. I'm afraid this won't bode well for her in court."

The woman assured him she would fight for his freedom, but warned him not to get his hopes too high. "The way this system works Mr. Saotome is hard, and only someone with high financial resources could be able to calm the euphoric state the demanding party has, specially as they are waiting for you to be extradited into their hands."

Those deeds he used to gain something out of nothing finally caught up to his life. He chuckled again, but this time he recognized what Nabiki did so foolishly in that date was just the same reckless behavior he toyed with other men on his own terms.

"This is just a social call Mr. Saotome. I need to study more than half of the content in this box, besides another two more boxes back at the office. In two days from now I will convene with you to have a stronger defense, in the meanwhile you will remain here until the court appointment comes into effect this Monday."

After she relied all possible contingencies towards his freedom, the woman left the station, leaving the family to tend the boy for a few more minutes. "Here Ranma-kun, I made you some slices of melon-pan with Higashi cookies. They should last you for a few days if you are careful and best of all, they won't go bad." added the elder Tendo with a tinge of sadness.

Ranma's misty eyes told Kasumi how much he thanked her for always taking care of him. After a while they were pressed to leave, but the pigtailed teen had a question blazing in his heart before they did. Soun saw the desperation and anguish in his eyes, deciding to wait for him to speak.

"Mr. Tendo. . .I-I. . .I want ta tell you 'bout Akane." He exchanged looks between father and daughter, admitting at this point there was no difference if they both would hear. "I failed her Kasumi-san. I promised ta stay at her side, but I lied. . .I did my best, I really did!. . .But seeing her so weak and slowly getting' worse made my life a livin' hell."

"I. . ." He wanted to justify his miserable demeanor towards an illness no one was ever prepared to fight. . .Much less the boy who saw the ever happy Akane Tendo lose heavily against it. Soun Stopped him right there, nodding as he too needed to come clean.

"You and me both Ranma-kun. I as a father preferred to bath myself with cold water than to see my girl deteriorate on bed. I cried to my wife, asked her what should I do, and if you ever noticed me, I was never near Akane-Chan unless it was something important."

"The point is, we all deal with her problem in different ways, but in the end, her. . .H-Her death is the fact we all are trying to deny and still fight regardless of the end itself. So don't worry son. . .You have nothing to explain me."

Ranma felt a big load off of his chest, breathing more collected by his forgiveness except that when he stared at the bars confining him, a pang told him his hell was far from over. "Please Mr. Tendo. . .Don' tell nothin' to Akane 'bout what's goin' ta happen ta me. I don' want her to know what I'm 'bout ta get."

Both father and daughter knew what was going to happen to a pretty redhead by the hands of criminals of all inclinations and sadistic desires was indeed too terrible to explain back home. Soun's eyes fell ashamed while Kasumi drove her hands to her gasping lips, finding no desire to even express a "Oh my. . ."

As they left the station when the police announced a new visitor waited, Ranma's eyes were firmly set against the boy walking awkwardly towards him. He looked nothing like his regular behavior. There was no bokken or smugness in his walk. His eyes made contact with Ranma's for just a second, forcing them down in shame as he walked near the caged boy.

Somewhat nervous and distracted, Tatewaki Kuno walked even closer, grasping the cell's bars like if he tested them out of its hardness. A moment later both looked at each other again, making more real the picture of a jail where his enslaved tea kettle girl awaited. "Ranma Saotome. . .I had to come and face my mistakes. I. . ." Said the older teen just before the caged prisoner stopped him from blaming himself.

"I know man, it wasn' your fault Kuno, but is there a way for you ta help me out of here at all?. . .At least until Akane. . .You know. . ." Neither boy wanted to say what they thought about the youngest Tendo though. Kuno took a deep breath, shaking his head as he tried to explain his own misfortune.

"Alas I tried. . .My parent's lawyers found my amorous inclination towards your curse ill and disrespectful. The wealth I was allowed to enjoy has been taken away until I become an adult and married to a fair woman. . .I don't know what else could I do, but there is something else I came for."

This time the boy in the cell raised a brow, wondering what other need he had to be here. "I sinned against you Ranma. . .I became prideful and bloated as your beautiful form made me more popular than ever. Everyone believes you have changed on sexual preferences and that you accepted meekly an invitation at my side."

The news didn't mean a lot now since the people making sure he'd be treated like a woman were already waiting in prison to reassure him he is going to be one despite of whatever gossip people will talk out there. "Don' worry man. . .Where I'm goin' I will be no more than a girl trained ta obey an' please. . .No less than of what you did ta me. . ."

With the shame of his words, the Kendoist preferred to leave the place wishing him the best of luck. Still, knowing nothing but suffering was coming his way, both teens argued no more, leaving a gaping silence as the last farewell. After visitor hours passed, the teen counted another day alone in a cage where all his wishes and goals would be reduced into nothing.

Desperate emotions crawled into the back of his head where the flimsy memory of a fanged teen made him hope for a last minute rescue. "C'mon man. . .Do I got ta spell it?. . .I need you now more than ever. I know there's no way you can hear me, but I wish. . .I want ta see you one more time before I become someone you will be ashamed of. . .Please man, everythin' rides on you. . ."

As time rushed unconditionally forward, Ranma saw how Friday afternoon came with no visitors allowed because of the weekend, but what startled the boy the most was Miss. Satou entering the station arguing with other three well dressed gentlemen. "I tell you. . .There must be a mistake!. Mr. Ranma Saotome is not to be taken to court until Monday."

Ranma saw how the other men ignored her demands, throwing on her face a document folded in three sides. "Too late Miss Satou, That boy has been called to pay for his crimes now, and there's nothing you can do but to oblige."

The report on her hands was signed and postmarked by several judges approving the date ahead of his conviction. The three rich lawyers offered the same papers to detective Tanaka who arrived at the cage ready to defend the kid.

"Save it detective. . .He is coming with us and there's nothing anyone can do to stop that." As he said that, two cops released the boy from the prison, escorting Ranma to the courthouse on the other side of the block. When they arrived, another seven well dressed gentlemen awaited on the left side while Ranma was set standing in the center and his lawyer on the right.

The judge walked in, sitting and starting with how he despised men dressed or acting on a different gender, but according to the law everyone was innocent until proven otherwise. Unfortunately for the pigtailed teen he had only a lawyer with several stacks of folders she hadn't finished studying while the opposite party had ten well paid lawyers who had plenty of time dissecting every charge against the boy.

The judge was given a very concise lecture on all the faults Ranma did as a girl, driving the idea he was a corrupted female already used to let others grope and disrespect her in a sexual manner. At the end of their speech the pigtailed boy became a common woman willing to sell her body for food and treats, loosing all common decency as a real human being.

"Your honor. . .We have a vandal and delinquent who can transform into a girl. Can you imagine the sadistic things he could do to embarrass and destroy the innocence of other teens, not to mention the horrible displays other men. . .Grown and married men have gone through with his diabolical schemes?"

Ranma's lawyer tried to appeal to his sense of humanity, explaining how Ranma was caught in traps tended by his father. She explained that many of those men were never forced to act towards the fake girl and the way they treated her was something he couldn't control because of his oath as martial artist.

"Your honor!. . .Ranma Saotome is not only a human being who can err, but a teenage boy filled with male hormones raging and forcing him to take the wrong decisions. . .Imagine now a boy who can change into a girl full with her 'own' set of hormones raging deep in the same body. If anything else, lenience is the best chance he has to become a better person."

At the end of each speech the judge took all information into account, finding hard to reach a verdict. "Lady and gentlemen. .. This is indeed a special case I have never encountered before. . .So. . .I hereby postpone the result of his judgment until Monday."

The last word gave some relief to Ranma and his lawyer, thinking maybe during these days she would be better prepared for a rebuttal, but the next declaration meant Ranma was still going to suffer by the hand of others whether he liked it or not.

"In the meantime Mr. Ranma Saotome will be taken to Kawagoe Juvenile Prison until Monday recess, and according to other charges the bail bond has been raised by the companies affected to forty million yen. It seems they found new discrepancies and decided to sue for two hundred and fifty million yen."

The man with the white wig hit loudly his gavel, making his ruling unquestionable while two guards took Ranma into another room where he would be taken to prison now. Miss Satou followed the boy when she lost a chance to appeal for another trial, and was rejected until further notice.

"Mr. Saotome. . .Don't worry, this Monday I will take care of the minor charges. In the meanwhile don't do anything harsh in there until we can fix a better deal." The boy chuckled, scoffing her intent away. "Don' worry Miss. . .They already won. As soon as I get in that prison I know they will take me apart. . ."

He was right though. The point was to cage him into prison with no chance to win the court appearance. Ranma knew this was it, and after the men made him wear an orange overall and chains in both hands and feet he decided to space out, letting his eyes turn completely gray and ready to be taken by many delinquents.

* * *

**Future. . .**

Back on the future anxiety was a dense feeling floating in the air. There were four days left before Ryoga could jump in the tunnel, but the tension as a family made the minutes feel like hours. Ranryu stopped assisting to school altogether, studying from several notebooks written by his father.

Karen decided to lead a close life with her mom and dad. Thanks to the young traveler coming to visit them she learned that Ranma and Ryoga would never be together, not to mention the painful reminder his brother would be unborn. Same went for the grown ups who opted for candle light dates and family events away from other responsibilities hoping to keep the memories in case of their ultimate sacrifice would take them away.

At the end of the first day all five people rested late at night, thinking on how life was about to play its cards by changing their whole existence without their consent. Pregnancy was a nice touch the family welcomed, but the uncertainty to know what would happen to their first son was so unbearable, Ranma woke with screams in the middle of her afternoon nap.

"What is it honey!?" Asked Ryoga concerned by his wife completely damped from the sweat. "I-I saw him. . .I don' know if it's real or not, but I saw my son stand before me one second an' slowly disintegrate when I tried ta touch him" She stared puzzled at the older fanged man, wondering if what she saw was real or just paranoia. "I. . .I know him now, but what if our present changes?"

The older man grabbed her tenderly, holding his wife trying to cheer her up, but he knew that when his younger version and his son would return back in time, many things he wouldn't be able to foresee were bound to change. "Don't worry Ranma. Even if all of a sudden I vanish and you are married to Akane, know this. . .All these years we were together are the happiest of my life and there's nothing. . .You hear. . .Nothing that could make me more proud than your happiness at her side."

"But that's the point Ryoga" Replied angry the redhead. "I chose you for a reason. I didn' doubt what we have even during my moments of grief by loosing her. I welcomed you because I saw a very important part of my life being erased before my eyes. . .You can' expect me to sit here for another four days an' see you die. . ."

When both adults talked about it, the simple fact of not knowing their own future left a bitter taste in their mouths no amount of food or drink could erase. If Ryoga isn't able find a love worth giving him life, thought the woman, his life would be extinguished after that month limit leaving behind nothing but memories she was bound to be tortured with the rest of her life as a husband.

If Ranma were to marry Akane or at least work in their relationship, Ranryu is just as dead as his father too, leaving no other choice but to destroy his link now and plant it on the past where he would be safe. In the end both father and mother thought about sending Karen as well, but she still had a chance to survive and who knows, maybe even be a Saotome-Tendo baby along the way.

"Rest assured honey, time will change drastically here, but Ranran will be alive and well despite those changes. He might have another way of life, but you and I know he survives all this ordeal. Now. . .Me?. . .Well, this young Ryoga seems so bent in sticking to his oath and if he succeeds than I won't exist."

"Be nice and love Akane with everything you got. Be the man among men you were meant to and remember me as the best friend who was willing to sacrifice everything for your happiness." The declaration made the redhead cry, holding her man together with hopes to remember this instant forever.

"I will remember Ryoga. . .No matter if I'm a man or a woman. . .If I'm married ta Akane or not. I will always remember you are my husband and the only one capable to make me happy." The rest of the night went on with no other complication, leaving the exhausted couple enough time to enjoy each other.

Bright and early in the morning the family gathered for breakfast. The lost boy noticed with wonderment how his older version and his son practiced together on the table, stacks of books at their side, and talking about dates, places and messages.

"Ok Ranran. . .Remember, Nabiki gave us all the tools we needed so just concentrate and repeat what you've been studying." As he said that, a loud crashing of plates could be heard in the kitchen. The old man recalled the reason and he promptly apologized for it.

"Sorry honey!. . .I'll try not to mention her name again!" Offered meekly the man. "What's wrong with Nabiki, Ryoga-san?" Asked the fanged teen puzzled right before another loud crashing of pots and pans made them all wince.

"Damn it!. . .Stop callin' that name!" Demanded tensely Ranma from the other room. "S-Sorry honey. . ." Young Ryoga blinked at his older version, asking with signs what was the big deal about it. "You will know soon enough Ryoga, but know this now. . .Ranma is very, very jealous. . .Beyond any other woman in this world."

"Do you remember how she tried to separate you when Akane accepted our date? Or when others tried to kidnap Akane from her?. . .She openly demanded those guys to "give her fiancée back" or forced them to let her go because "He was her rigthful fiance". . ."

The young teen recalled how much Ranma hated for others to mess with the youngest Tendo. The vengeful fake fiancée Ryoga gained dressed in a pink dress and brown wig sure let him go all the way, including groping her in the bushes and almost kiss her, realizing Ranma was a very envious guy, and thus a very resentful girl.

"I can see that, but what's with. . .Um. . .You know who?" Asked interested the boy towards the elder, but someone else decided to answer instead. " 'Cuse that bitch went too far Ryoga-kun. . .I didn' know at the time but she played with somethin' very dear ta me an' thanks ta that, I almost lost you. . ."

Young Ryoga was left out of the loop again, but the one questioning this new set of events was his older version when he remembered how the facts unfolded during the first day from his arrival. Ranma did question the same dilemma, voicing it openly when she couldn't find a solution. "I don' know how are you goin' ta handle that man, but my version in your past is goin' ta act in the same way, and believe me. . .I am built that way an' even if I don' admit it, I am goin' ta explode when that happens."

As she said that, several plates she so skillfully balanced were set on the table, letting the family enjoy a nice time eating and recapping all the things Ranran had learn. "When did he had the time to memorize all that honey?" Asked puzzled the mother.

"Well. . ." Answered the older man nervously while he looked at his son instead of his wife. "You see honey. . .I. . .Well, I sent Ranran to school this last year but instead of letting him study what they gave him, I. . .I-I made my own books for him to learn."

The woman gaped by the idea, understanding at the same time the low grades and report cards her son always seemed to receive. "You actually sabotaged his studies on purpose!?" She was furious alright. She wanted to prove to the world a Saotome was able to study and become smart just like Akane always were. . .Like a tribute of sorts.

"Well. . .An' what did he learn then?" Asked again in a defusing tone. The older Ryoga began to explain all the places he found over the years with precious gemstones, the several dates and points where Ranma would be during his incarceration, and all the letters and secret blackmail deals Nabiki did with all the citizens in Nerima.

"I forced all the information needed from. . .Um. . .You know who so that Ranran and Ryoga can plan this to perfection. He knows how to administer the doses Akane needs to be treated, and that "something" we discussed several years ago which you vehemently refused. . .Maybe. . . just maybe this new Ranma might use it if he want's to marry Akane."

That last part made the redhead flinch, staring afterwards at her man when "that" deal was supposed to be forgotten. "We talked 'bout that Ryoga. . .I don' need it an' I never will." She was defiantly confident, but the man knew the Ranma from the past could change his mind.

"We don't know what's going to happen baby. . .Ranran has all possible contingencies covered just in case." She still doubted her version could accept such help, but he was right. . .Because of his always desire to please her, the reason was simple. . .He always thought about her well-being.

"Fine. . .Have it your way man. Now, what are we goin' ta do the rest of the days?. . ." The older man grabbed some of the books, taking his family out of the house and to the nearest forest where they enjoyed some quality time to bond.

Karen loved this new dad. She actually asked him why was he so hard on them before all this started which made the old man tear up. "I had to honey. . .I wasn't sure how everything was going to play once my younger version would come.

"You see, Ranran was dying in my dreams, you were a blurring image changing shapes and sizes on different occasions and I would see Ranma sometimes as my beautiful wife and others as a man with a pigtail and beating the crap out of me for messing with his manhood."

"All in all, some facts like my son's death were certain, but others changed every time because our present is my younger version's future thus, not set on stone." That made the fanged boy wonder, forcing his desire to know how much was the old man able to tell.

"Ok Ryoga-san, tell me. . .If you went back in time, does it mean that the older man you saw now went in time also?. . .And so on, and on?" The older man knew this conversation was long over due. He just smiled and asked his family to gather around.

"No Ryoga. The older man I met told me he didn't remember traveling in time. I reached the conclusion that I started the cycle, which was bound to repeat itself for who knows how long, but I was wrong again because you broke the time table when your jump brought you two months earlier."

They all kept up with his way of thinking, figuring out what he said had to do with time fixing itself. "That's right. When you came earlier, you stopped the loop and let time close the ripple I created. . .I'm guessing that my life will be changed after the month has passed from your journey."

"I will either cease to exist if you don't find someone who can love you, or all the memories you change will be added in me. . .I believe I will become the man I visited long ago, but my younger memories destroyed that other version, leaving in its place who am I now."

Their head began to twirl uncontrollably now. Ranma, and the younger Ryoga's heads spun by the logic in his explanation, leaving only the other two teens to understand it fully. "So pops. . .If I go back, does that means I should be here now and as old as you?"

The older Ryoga bit his lower lip, staring at his wife who looked rather nervously by the question. ". . .Maybe?" Was the only response the old man gave his son. That implied a lot, but for some reason they didn't want to disclosure, and so, the boy stopped asking.

"Ok. . .Enough of weird talk. Let's spar and have some fun before all hell break loose!" Admonished carefree Karen. Ranma and her husband nodded, admitting that was the reason they left the city back. "That's right. . .I'm dying to know how much all my family has progressed over the years and if my young self has become any better this last few days."

Both Ryogas accepted each other challenges, leaving for the first time Karen and Ranryu as a team against their mother. "Mom?. . .Are you sure you want to try us together?" The redhead grinned just like old times, retracting her taunting fingers as she said. 'C'mon guys. . .I'll go easy on you. . ." Siblings waited no longer to jump on her, combining their attacks with high precision. The two Ryogas stopped for a moment when they noticed something strange in the fight though.

"Honey?. . .Remember your state. Shouldn't you be resting instead?" Asked the older man. "Nah!. . .You don' think I can handle my children?" She moved gracefully as she said that, shoving carefully her kids while avoiding any hard damage. That was getting interesting to watch, but what concerned the other two males the most was the sudden change of aura in the middle age woman.

The older redhead managed to avoid the lighting speed of her son while the stomping punches Karen threw barely passed inches from her mother's body with no effect whatsoever. The battle kept raging on, letting the two younger kids let loose until a false step made Ranma lose her balance.

Ranryu from high above darted on her position just when his father intervened, pulling him away while the fanged teen ran in front of a redhead sprawled on the floor. The young girl couldn't stop her fist but at this point the lost boy knew what she was capable to do, stopping her assault with all his strength.

After the fanged boy rolled several feet regardless of his full on defense, Ranryu and Karen tilted their heads wondering why the sudden time out. They knew their mother would be more than capable to evade their techniques if it was necessary, but they asked anyway in a concerned manner.

"Why did you stop the fight?. . .It was getting interesting." Asked Kara to her father. "Can't you feel it Kara?. . .Hold you horses and sense your mother." When the older Ryoga said this, the younger teen focused on her mother, realizing something different was clashing with her old aura.

All four saw her on the grass pulling her shirt down, cleaning the few leaves and fixing the wrinkles in a delicate way instead of the tomboyish demeanor she was acting before. "Ryoga-kun. . .I don't know why did you let me use these clothes again dear, but remember I should be in the kitchen preparing dinner. . .You guys keep training while I take care of a fast snack husband. . ."

As she said that, the redhead stood up, dusting her clothes right before going back home as her hands patted her belly. "Ryoga-san. . .Has she always called you "husband" or "dear?" in that affectionate demeanor. . .?" Asked the young time traveler to his older version. "Never. . .Her behavior suddenly changed into a milder form. Something is terribly wrong and we need to find out what."

The two identical males ran ahead first to meet a flustered woman acting like a submissive wife while the children reacted slower but rushed right behind. When they reached her into the house, she looked calm and collected, dressed in a white kimono decorated with sakura petals. Even the sway of her hips and hands were those of a sophisticated lady than the old fool they knew.

"H-Honey?. . .Are you feeling Ok?" The question made Ranma's brows furrow when her husband stared at her puzzled. "Y-Yes dear. . .I'm sorry I haven't been a good wife lately, but I promise to do better I swear!" The change not only in her way to move but the speech she used now was so correct, and sweet the older man knew something terrible was taking place on the past.

When the kids arrived home next, the woman rushed into the kitchen, hurrying with meat and vegetables in hopes that everything would be ready in a few minutes. Ryoga could see the desperation she had to cook all the food in time, forcing her actions into an obedient desire to please her family.

On the living room all the family were thinking on what made the change so drastically different by no apparent reason though. "How can time change when I haven't returned yet?. . .I thought I was making new patterns when I jumped into the future."

The older man saw with determination at his younger version, waiting for the boy to stop and think about ripples and patterns changed against one's will. "I believe those close around you have some say in all this Ryoga. . .I am not sure, but maybe Ranma is capable to change the flow of time in the same way you jumped two months before I did."

When that made some sense, they realized Ranma changed things by some altered event they hadn't foreseen, running at her side and asking the woman to sit while both males formulated the same question. "Try to remember Ranma. . .What happened today exactly, but seventeen years ago?"

The redhead stopped what she was doing, walking to the table on the kitchen and thinking on the question her husband asked her with an enormous blush on her face. "I try not to think on that Ryoga-kun, but you know what happened. . .I ended up in prison with no way to be free."

"Tomorrow will be the day when all those men trapped me in the courtyard and. . ." She tried to finish the sentence, but tears and the trembling shake running all over her body forced the older woman to stop from talking, starting to cry more openly over the things she swore to forget long ago.

The older man rushed at her side, holding her tightly while his eyes searched for his younger self. "Something must've changed the sequence Ryoga. . .Instead of the five days we have, I believe the police moved the day ahead of time and she was trapped with the other bastards before you arrive."

"That means. . ." Karen gasped in fear, Ranryu could do nothing but stare confused, but young Ryoga knew that his rushed jump to the future left those ripples affecting other patterns in the past. "It means that I forced certain events to move ahead of schedule." Finished the lost boy, completing Karen's statement.

"I must leave now!. . .I will not let my friend suffer like this, not after all I've been through to save them from harm." The old man agreed with the young teen, asking him to stay only a few hours to make sure Ranryu was ready.

"Give me until this afternoon and then you two can jump back in time." the old man and his son stayed in the living room studying harder than ever while Karen and the lost boy stayed near the fearful Ranma. "Don't worry mom, I promise you will be back to normal once dad leaves and save you from those morons."

Ranma stared at her daughter confused. She could remember being wild and untamed these past few days, then the sudden surge of power scrambling a bunch of memories and feelings in her mind trapped her into a bubble of fear and humiliation, carving a new Ranma she already hated by all accounts.

Memories from men groping and using her body in ways no woman is meant to be abused flooded uncontrollably until her mind melted into the weak human being she was now. "R-Really Ryoga-kun?. . .Will you be able to save me before those men do what they did?"

The boy looked into those eyes. They were a bit of the blue hue he always loved, but there were shades of a gray he could only describe as death itself. "Don't worry Ranma. . .I will save you no matter what. . ." The resolute manner in which he talked sent a wave of calm into the woman, answering back with a smile of satisfaction. "Thanks Ryoga. . .I know you can do it."

Ranma left his savor alone, returning to the kitchen where the meat was getting ready to be taken out of the oven. meanwhile on the living room. "Kara. . .I need you to do me a favor. . .Come." Asked the lost boy secretly. When both teens walked towards the living room, Karen sat in front of the computer, turning it on as her younger father started to explain his needs.

"I must know the correct address for Akari Unryu and Anna Brown, they are very good friends of mine and I'm planning to survive my way back." They kept talking about other information that would come in handy when he would return back in time.

Ryoga made sure everything should be perfect counting even his lack of direction as a possible disadvantage he didn't want to mess with the rescue. The mild mannered redhead finally finished several dishes, fixing the table just as the old man and his son put the books away.

"Ryoga!. . .Kara!, dinner is ready!" Announced the older Ryoga who waited for the other teens to gather around. Once everyone was at the table, the man silently stared at each one of them, taking in a last glimpse of their image before starting to eat.

"Guys. . .I'm afraid many things are about to happen in the next weeks. Your mother and I might not be together. . .I may not even exist in a month from now, but what I'm sure of, is how proud I am to have Ranma as my wife. Ranran. . .Kara, there can't be any other prideful moment in my life but the ones I experienced at your side."

"It's an honor having you as my children and even though I was a terrible father, you turned out to be the greatest of kids. . .Be good with your mother either if she is still your mom or she becomes a dad. Prove that the Hibiki blood will always live on."

All the presents tear up, feeling a pressing pang in their chest no amount of best wishes could satiate. They refused to give up, to forget who they become and in that table young and old swore to always remember who Ryoga Hibiki was regardless of his existence or banishment.

Dinner went quiet and ominously until a knock on the door made all the family wonder who could be at this hour. When Ranma went to answer, the man on the other side of the door hugged her tenderly, forcing the older Ryoga to get up and run at him.

Ranran, Kara and the younger Ryoga stretched their necks, forcing their eyes to see who Ranma and Ryoga were arguing with. After the discussion died, the couple moved aside, letting a man walk in while waiting for the biggest surprise were about to have so far.

He was the exact replica of Ranma's male form and Ranryu's. . .The middle aged guy walked in, bowed before the teens and lastly patted Ryoga's son on the head. "Hey Ranran. . .How is it going?" There was no mistake thought the kid, amazed by the similarities between them.

"W-Wait. . .You are me aren't you?" Asked taken back by the sudden meeting. The grown man bobbed positively, promising next that he couldn't say a word, but wanted to come by and wish him good luck. " Pops called me a while ago to say goodbye. Ranran listen. . .There are hard times coming your way man. . .Be strong and remember everything has a reason. . ." With that, the old guy went to the side and grabbed the girl closely while his lips rested on her head.

"Sorry squirt. . .I promised to keep an eye and I failed all these years, but there are reasons for that. After he leaves with pops, you and I are going to regain all that time back. . ." Karen couldn't believe it, realizing this late how her soon to vanish brother was right there, seventeen years older than her.

The old man looked at his mother with admiration. After a second later he rushed at her side covering her face with kisses and hugs the woman found welcomed and very much needed. "I am anxious Ranran. . .I know you are here, but my baby is leavin'. . .What do I do?"

The older Ranryu held her tight, kissing the top of her head while musing tiny words of reinforcement. "Don't worry mom. You have done more than enough, now sit back and enjoy the show. . .Besides, we can always talk about it once my memories change."

While both mother and son shared the same age, Ranma felt a pang of satisfaction when she understood her son survived time, and it was true what he said. Soon, Ryoga and him would cease to exist here only to live in the past.

"It don' matter what happens. I know you two will survive this ordeal. . .I know you will. Call it a mother's intuition." Affirmed the redhead who knew her family was a done deal and not affected by time itself. all the family agreed, sharing a big smile right before the older Ryoga talked to his younger version.

"It's time Ryoga." Both teenagers gave their farewells, hugging and kissing each one of the family and walking to the patio where all this started. The beautiful redhead pecked her lover one last time before assuring a timeless truth. "Remember Ryoga. . .No matter what happens now, I will always be proud of you."

Ranryu felt the need to run and hug them again, but his younger father started to create a lot of Chi with his feet and the tunnel began to emerge. He wanted to wait just a little longer. . .To ask his own reflection why he waited for so long to show up and maybe explain what will happen with the love of his life. . .That's when a feminine shadow walked across the house and outside where everyone gathered for the journey.

He recognized her features from the distance and the woman smiled at him, answering the last question he had before jumping. Too bad there was no more time to talk, but he knew his father did all this for a reason, and soon he would be part of history itself.

Everyone waved when the pair vanished from this time, leaving nothing but a 'PUFF!' sound behind and the hopes of all the Hibiki family planted in their success. "One month guys. . .A month and few days before we see how my son will change this world."

The rest of the Hibikis went back inside, letting the grown Ranryu and "that woman" play and reminiscence old memories Karen was too young to remember while Ranma just hugged Ryoga's waist as she hoped her son would fight for what he believed.

"I really hope my son can work things out. . .Otherwise we might even lose "her". . ." The redhead stopped wondering, knowing this present hanged by the hands of the two young teens traveling through time. "Don't worry Ranma. . .Ranran is a very capable young man, he'll do fine."

Back on the tunnel things looked stranger than before. Ryoga and Ranryu stared at the blank images decorating the walls, leaving nothing but the illuminated path for they to walk. "I don't understand. . .When I came through here, the place was filled with images and now all I see is clear pictures with no content."

"I believe time is warning us up pop. When you came to the future the memories you missed were displayed on the walls, but now that we are going back, we are cleaning our future out. . .I guess when we arrive home, there won't be a future for us, but the one we make."

It made some sense to the fanged boy, who began to realize everything depended on his prompt action. He needed to save Akane, rescue Ranma, get them married and look for a love for him and Ranran. . .All that before the thirty eight days were over.

A daunting task alright, specially when his young companion needed to stay stuck with the youngest Tendo while he hoped his sense of direction wouldn't get him lost for longer than a month. "Well, that's the entrance. . .Better get ready Ranran. . .Oh!. . .And don't call me pops when we get there."

* * *

**Present day**. . .

Both teens decided not to wait any longer, crossing the threshold one after the other and landing on the Tendo's patio. Ryoga was the dizzier of the two, tumbling every other way while trying to balance with his son's arm.

"Pop. . .I mean, Ryoga. . .Shouldn't you rest while I go get help with great uncle Tendo?" The fanged teen shook dryly, stabilizing himself at the same time he pushed his son ahead. "No!. . .We need to move fast and I need to contact Nabiki. She needs to help me with the several phone calls we need to make before the clock hits midnight."

In the inside of the house Soun noted the lighting outside, wondering if everything was Ok. After a moment there were no thundering sounds, accepting that maybe he saw something else. "Um. . . Must've been my imagination." Finished after going upstairs to make sure Akane was comfortable for the night.

Suddenly the main door was forced open, followed by the shouts of two teenagers the family hadn't seen in weeks. "Mr. Tendo!" Screamed Ryoga agitated by the small time he had left. Soun rushed back down, realizing the young traveler finally arrived, and with company no less.

"Ryoga-kun!. . .You made it!" The elder was too happy for his visit, raising his hopes for a possible cure that could aid his daughter. "Sir.!. . .I need to talk with Nabiki at once. Please, call Dr. Tofu and tell him this is an emergency. . .Ranryu will tell him what he needs to bring."

In that precise moment the patriarch rushed back up, almost breaking Nabiki's door with the euphoria he was moving with. "Daddy!. . . Doesn't anyone knock now days?" Demanded the girl who was doing nothing but wait her call to prison.

"Sorry daughter, but Ryoga-kun is here. . .He needs you now so, please. . .Stop arguing and go at his side." The teen found the visit strange, specially since the fanged boy supposedly jumped into the future. When she walked stairs down, the middle Tendo managed to see someone else incredibly similar to Ranma.

She wanted to ask who he was, but her father kept pushing the girl towards the living room where the lost boy looked increasingly desperate. "Ryoga-kun. . .What's with all the fuss?" Asked a bit taken by the mess spread all over the place from what was hidden in the closet.

"Where is my backpack!. . .I need to find my pack right away." The girl shrugged carelessly, walking to the same smaller room and pulling his traveling pack from the top shelf. "I swear. . .Men can never find anything even when they try hard to look for it."

Ryoga ignored her comment while he dig deep into the pack. "Nabiki-san. . .I need you to take me to the place Ranma is imprisoned. But first, you need to make three phone calls with the numbers my so. . . .I mean, my friend is going to give you."

The girl stared again at the teen, finding something unusually strange about his looks and the pigtail. She wanted to stop him and maybe find out what was going on, but the boy grabbed her hand, taking the girl to the kitchen where the phone was set.

"Ok Nabiki. . .We need to call this number first. Is the local appraisal official here in Nerima. . .Tell him we have an emergency and we need to show him something incredibly big. Next is Miss Satou. . .Tell her something has changed and she must meet us tomorrow early in the morning in the juvenile station Ranma was taken."

"Lastly is Judge Sakate Shimura, one of the supreme high court under the lead of the emperor. . .I have something to say and then we are off to see mo. . .I mean Ranma." Finally finished the strange pigtailed boy while he made up with a pencil and a piece of paper.

He started to scribble away, giving the information to the girl as a way to keep track. The first and second calls were rather direct and to the point, informing the auction manager to be ready before midnight for their visit.

Then came Miss. Satou who considered the appeal too rushed and with no way to be official, but she agreed to go along with the favor. Lastly, the boy dialed a very long number which put him on hold. When someone answered, the voice demanded who gave this number to Ranryu, but the boy simply said "Case file seven-eight-two-five-zero-zero. . .Ranma Saotome. Please send appealing document to Kawagoe Juvenile prison in favor of the detainee."

The man found the tone commanding and pushy, giving him the idea to just hang down until the boy talked again. "You. . .Mikako Joichi, and a dinner table in new years. . ." The grand judge suddenly remembered something that no one was supposed to know, abiding to his request and agreeing with the favor as long as such information would reach his wife's ears.

When the boy put the phone down Nabiki was speechless, gaping by what he just did and wondering how had he done it. "Y-You just blackmailed a supreme high court judge in charge of several prefectures. . .H-How did you do that!?"

Ranryu shrugged the question away, pulling the girl towards the living room. "Ryoga. . .Did you find them?" Asked the strange teen to his friend. "Yeah. . .I got them!" Replied triumphal Ryoga as he held a pink gem on one hand and an uncut diamond the size of his fist on the other.

Nabiki's eyes almost fell from her sockets, measuring the giant rocks and salivating hungrily at the amount of yen they should be worth. "Damn it Ryoga!. . .You had those two gemstones all this time?" The girl stretched forcibly trying to reach for them, and that's when the pigtailed stranger let go of her hand, letting the girl rush at the lost boy's side.

"C'mon Nabiki-san. . .We need to meet that old man and sell these rocks for Ranma's bail money." Both teens left the house, crossing paths with Ono after Kasumi called him with a family emergency. The doctor saw the teenagers leave without saying a word, but noticed Ryoga back which meant the journey did work.

When he entered the house, a similar Ranma look alike welcomed him in, taking the older boy upstairs while he explained the situation. "Doctor Tofu. Ryoga is going to give you all the money you need, but right now we need to get an intravenous fluid pump to give some of my blood to Akane."

When both old and young teen talked about the illness, Ranryu explained that the trick was the way the disease behaved. "It acts like cancerous cells devouring healthy ones, but these cells are more like Sickle shaped cells or the hereditary drepanocytosis disease."

Ono marveled at this boy's rare but very possible interpretation of Akane's diagnostic. "It makes sense." Agreed the doctor. "Sickle-cell disease is an illness based on a mutation in the hemoglobin gene passed from certain family members to others. . .How did you find that out?" The boy decided not to explain a lot, asking the doctor to bring whatever equipment he had in the clinic while he made sure the girl was ready.

As the young doctor left, Ranryu walked timidly towards her bedroom. When he walked in, an almost lifeless teen lain on the bed, barely breathing and with her eyelids so heavy, she couldn't keep them open for long.

Akane tried to look away, towards the boy she had dreamed before but could not recognize. This time, a small tugging smile told the teen she was still conscious and aware of his presence. "D-Don't worry Miss Tendo. . .I will get you strong and healthy pretty soon."

He started to slowly move the desk she used to study, fixing it right besides the bed and covering it with some blankets and a pillow he found on the closet. When he was done, two beds were set, one at the side of the other ready to be used for the transfusion.

Before he took his shirt off, the teen respectfully bowed before the conscious girl and politely declared. "H-Hi. . .My name is Ranryu. . .Ranryu. . .Um. . .Well, just that. Nice to finally meet you Miss Akane Tendo."

After his awkward presentation ended, the boy laid on the desk, fixing his arm at the girl's level and waiting for Ono who arrived a few seconds later. "I am not sure if this is right young man. I mean, for a transfusion with the anemia Akane-Chan has, the blood must be treated and clotted free with several filters."

His worries were well placed, the boy admitted. But he explained how things worked, adding three words Ono found reassuring. . ."In the future". . . That made the doctor's eyes blink in puzzlement, and accepted them as his bond. "I see Ryoga-kun managed to bring you from another time to save her. Very well young man. . .I'll abide to your instructions."

Ono fixed the pump carefully between the teens, carefully setting the plastic lines on their arms and watching how his blood slowly seeped into the girl's weak body. "This is going to take a long time. Usually thirty minutes and then I need to rest for three hours."

With such indications, the doctor left both teens in the bedroom, walking stairs down where he met Soun and Kasumi. "Doctor Tofu. . .Is my daughter going to be Ok?" The young practitioner cleaned his glasses, set them back on the bridge of his nose and smiled with a sensation of satisfaction.

"I believe she will Mr. Tendo. . .The boy in there has many talents and it seems like he knows how to completely cure your daughter. The treatment is going to be slow, but I will stop the chemotherapy and rely only in his blood transfusions."

The Tendo patriarch found no reason to distrust him, accepting his stay and going for some blankets while Kasumi prepared a few cups of tea. The situation had taken a lot from everyone who cared for the girl. Without even noticing, Ono and the eldest daughter ended up talking and helping each other with a mat on the floor and a few covers that could help him pass the night comfortable.

"Kasumi-san, thanks for your help, and although I know you are her big sister. . .Thanks so much for taking care of Akane-san, she means a lot to me. . .Just like a little sister would." The older girl smiled at his honesty, realizing this wasn't the nervous and goofy young man she always saw him messing with things.

She couldn't take it anymore, finding no other way to unload her frustrations, the eldest teen broke the barrier keeping them apart, rushing at his side and grabbing his chest with trembling hands "Ono-san. . .I-I need someone who can understand what I'm going through. . .Someone who knows if this will work. D-Do you think so?. . .Do you think my sister won't die like my mother?"

The older boy felt a strong impulse to go nuts, but under all the pressure he had over selling the clinic and watching little Akane about to die he hugged her back, resting his chin on her head and reassuring the girl if there was a cure, that boy would the only one with it. "Let's trust in him Kasumi. . .Um. . .Kasumi-Chan?" The girl let her pressures go a bit, smiling on his chest as she responded. "Yes. . .I will, and thank you. . .Ono-kun. . ."

Outside the Tendo residence both Nabiki and Ryoga ran through the streets in search for the address. "Nabiki. . .Can you get us there?" Asked tensely Ryoga at a girl who grunted angrily at him, not only because he kept veering in the wrong direction, but because of the two gems he had hidden away from her could be used to her own freedom.

"I can if you stop pulling me in another direction you dolt!. . ." Angry by his own lack of senses, the boy snarled irritated, pulling the girl on his strong arms and carrying her bridal style. "Fine. . .I'm going and you tell me where to go."

Ryoga decided to take the high ground, skipping roof after roof as Nabiki placed herself on the distance and tell him which way to go. As they advanced a lot faster, some type of emotion pooled deep in the girl's heart.

This boy was doing everything in his power to save her sister and the pigtailed boy. That not only meant he had guts, but it showed how much he was willing to do for those he loved. "_He is cute in a roguish kind of way. . .And stronger than any other boy I have met, but there is something I can't put my finger on_."

The teen remembered that missing emotion, compelling her to search all over his shirt with her open hands. "W-What are you doing?" Asked nervously the fanged teen. "Well Ryoga-kun. . .Knowing how clumsy and distracted you are I was wondering if I should carry the gems. After all, who better than me to guard such marvelous stones."

The boy had his doubts from the start, knowing her lust for money and luxury were legendary. . .In fact, he realized all this mess was her fault to begin with. "Don't worry. . .I know my priorities and besides, I have them hidden somewhere else."

The girl grasped his shoulders tightly after the vertigo to jump into a high roof to the next forced her to drop the discussion. "F-Fine!. . .See that tall house with several levels?. . .That's the address you wrote here." The lost boy landed right in front of the house, almost taking the door apart with the knocks while the middle Tendo peeked everywhere in case of the police could arrive.

"I'm here. . .Stop messing with my property, I'm here already!" The boy grabbed the back of his head, apologizing with a dumb laugh while the girl just walked into the abode. Although a bit distrustful at first, the man decided the phone call sounded so urgent, letting them pass into the magnanimous living room where several jewelry and gemstones were displayed on cases.

"Don't get any ideas. . .All this is insured and I have cameras all over the place, so if you try anything fishy, I won't hesitate to sent you to jail." Admonished the old man before the teens. "I don't care about stealing, I just need you to appraise these two I got and give me a check worth its price."

When Ryoga said this, he pulled both rocks from his socks, gaining a scowl from the middle Tendo. "That was your hidden place!?. . .Your dirty socks!?" Both men ignored her rants, preferring to go back in business when the older manager went after a magnifying monocle and several other instruments.

The rarity and form of the gems were flawless, with the exception of the uncut diamond which would be worth even more once shaped. "I. . .I never seen such beautiful stones. Say. . .Do you have any idea how much are they worth?"

He tried to test the grounds, wondering if the kid could be deceived, but when Ryoga mentioned firmly the value along the lines of thirty million yen each, he knew the teen knew his rocks. "Indeed young man. . .Tell me, how did you get these two beauties on your hands?"

The second question meant to flush a possible gem thief or trafficker of sorts, but the teen never waned on his behavior, responding truthfully how his problem with directions take him to places he often find with precious gems and relics.

"I have lots more I'm willing to sell you, but in the mean time there is a precious friend stuck in prison and I must take him out." That sure rang a bell to the man who loved being informed on every news, after all, his trade requested that much attention to the world.

"I see. . .You are trying to spring that Ranma Saotome free isn't?" The boy felt a pang of emotions, blushing ever so slightly but he remained strong, nodding positively that's what he wanted. "Y-Yes Sir. He is my best and only friend and I won't let anyone harm him. . ."

The manager accepted his goals as real and true, agreeing into do business with him. "Let me appraise them on paper and then I will give you a fair price. . .How about it?" Ryoga was ecstatic, bowing respectfully at the man until he noticed certain someone almost prying a glass cage open.

"Nabiki!. . .What the hell are you doing!" Screamed with almost no sound and clenched teeth the boy. "I'm sorry Ryoga-kun. . .I've been starved of money lately, I can't help myself. . ." She stared at the set of rings like if her life depended on touching them.

After a while, the fanged boy grabbed her hand, pulling the girl wherever he went and keeping her from trouble. "I swear. . .If you mess this more for Ranma. . .I will never forgive you. . ." There it was again. . .That emotion swelling in her chest.

It wasn't love. . .Nope, not by a long shot, but a tinge of lust a manly man acting out on her rebellious acts and specially someone who could make millions by a simple whim of his travels was a target she felt necessary to keep. "Whatever you say Ryoga-honey. . .Whatever you say. . ."

The moniker made the boy a bit nervous, but there were other matters more important to consider now, ignoring the girl altogether while the older man walked back into the display room. "Very well young man. . .Here are the official appraisal documents, and this is a check for seventy million yen. . .thirty-five for the pink gemstone and thirty-five for the other."

Ryoga knew the bail money was only forty million according to Kara's research on the history archives, forcing the man to give him two checks, one for the bail amount and another for a bank account he needed to open.

"Fine young Ryoga Hibiki. . .I will help you since your cause is just. You see, I'm in Nerima's council as well and although I voted to keep young Ranma from going to prison, there are others out there searching for the boy's special ability."

"Anyway, I will open a bank account and deposit every sold gems you bring me, how about it?" The teen smiled by his prompt wish to help, bowing once again before the ice queen started for the Tendo residence. "Please Nabiki. . .We can't go back now. We need to travel and be ready in Kawagoe city for the emergency meeting my son requested. . ."

The boy was so troubled with all the things he needed to have ready, he never noted Nabiki's growing eyes after his blunder fell on her ears. "Ryoga-honey. . .Did you just said "your son". . . ?" The fanged teen finally saw the mistake, finding no other option but to beg silence to the girl.

"L-Look Nabiki. . .You need to keep that between us please. I don't want to make it bigger than already is, so please. . .I beg you. Don't tell anyone about Ranran. . ." The girl loved this, accepting the boy's request, but foreseen a very juicy blackmail tip she would be more than happy to exploit in the future.

"Oh. . .Don't worry Ryoga-honey. . .My lips are sealed."


	8. Chapter 8

**Tendo Residence.**

Kasumi-san and her father stared puzzled at the way Akane began to behave in what it had been almost thirty days from the spreading cancer. At first, the way she acted was like a happy kid waking up in Christmas morning and running towards a tree filled with gifts, but later on she looked worried and pensive which unnerved the family a lot.

They saw her stare at the wall, and sometimes there were even tiny whispers she made as if someone was right besides her bed establishing a conversation. When Dr. Tofu checked her state now and again to see the progress of the illness, the other family members promptly informed him of the strange behavior she was so prone to display when awake.

" I'm sorry Mr. Tendo. I didn't want to strain you more than you already are, but in most of the patients enduring this terminal disease there is a lapse of time when they "hallucinate" the visit from dead relatives or friends."

"I didn't want you to know, because well. . .That's one of the last symptoms telling me she has a few hours at most." Kasumi couldn't contain her tears, driving those hands she had only for her sister toward her painfully crooked lips, but unable to release an "Oh my. . .". The eldest of the three sisters found solace on the doctor though, lunging at his arms when there wasn't much she could do to save her sister.

"B-But you said that kid knew what he was doing!" Intervened Soun's voice who sounded unfairly demanding, blaming everything in someone who maybe had been from the future but this was their reality, and he was failing miserably in his endeavor to save her. "Give him time Mr. Tendo. According to my studies she should have passed away since last night."

"That means she is reacting to the treatment, just not as fast as I hoped. Ranryu has done a magnificent job too, but look at him! . . .He hasn't rested one bit between the things Ryoga left him to do and their transfusions." Both men stopped arguing when the desperate cry from the eldest sister made them look at her distress.

"N-No. . .My mother first and now Akane-Chan. . .I-I can't do this. . ." Cried with those tears flowing now freely. Soun couldn't do a thing now, drowning himself in his own tears as well while the cold water used at every inconceivable hour of the day with hopes to amend his past transgressions, and at the same time beg Kami for his daughter's well being started to deteriorate his health..

"I. . .I want to be there for you Kasumi-Chan, but. . ." His daughter understood his impotence to do anything, after all, he was the other person dealing with the similar end her mother went through while Nabiki and Akane were no more than two little babies wondering what was going on. "I know father. . .I know. . ."

"D-Daddy. . .Granma is here. . ." Said almost unconsciously Akane with a raspy, almost gasping voice, making everyone turn towards the window, but the only visitor was the sun sharing its rays with the family. "S-She tells me. . .S-She tells me it's time. . ."

"Like hell it is. . ." Grunted with clenched teeth the boy from the future barely hanging from the door frame. He looked tired by the several treatments seeping every ounce of his rich blood. In fact, it wasn't even an hour after the last session when her last farewell could be heard through the house. Ranryu snarled at the illness itself, finding it strangely strong and, aiming his whole attention to the doctor, the boy threw caution to the wind this last time.

"I can't take this anymore. . .Ono-san. . .Hook me up and don't let go until I tell you so." Ono saw the frustration on the boy, but he saw something else. . .Love. . .A long desire to save her because she meant more than a friend for the traveling teen.

"F-Fine. . .I guess this is the last try we can do Ranryu. . ." The young man brought the pump back to life, forcing the dark crimson fluid traverse through the clear tubing from one side to the other. "This will do doctor. . .I swear. . .I heal her or I die trying."

There wasn't much anyone else could do now, leaving the Tendos with the only option to mourn their dear Akane. Even far away, while traveling on a train, the middle of the Tendo sisters shed tears of remorse. She could have done something. . .Anything to make her happy if they would have known this illness was going to come back.

"Akane. . .I. . .I'm s-sorry." Poured the bobbed haired girl without leaving her empty, dark desire to be a different girl. Back at the house Dr. Tofu grabbed Soun's shoulder one last time, offering his dearest condolences right after he said. "We just need to make the transition the most comfortable and pleasant for her. . .In case. . ."

As he said that, Akane turned to see her father and the rest of the family with those gray eyes someone else shared far away, but for different reasons. "D-Daddy?. . .G-Granma told me something about mom. . ." Her eyes slightly blinked, lost by the recent information she was unable to decipher.

"S-She says mom is not. . ." But nothing more came out when a surge of power passed through her body. The amount of blood mingling between teens was a level no blood donor usually shares at once, but Ranryu knew his own living fluid was engineered to heal any illness. . .Specially his dear Akane and this was it for the girl.

As her body arched upwards, the family gasped surprised when she recovered consciousness drastically, forcing her now vividly eyes open, and her own teeth clench by the intensity of the transfer. No one knew what was going on until the doctor grabbed the boy's shoulders, forcing him to calm down.

"Ranryu!. . .You are powering your Chi. Stop it!. . .The blood is mixing with it and the potency is too severe for Akane-san." Ranryu snapped from the frustration, unknowingly forcing himself to try his very best. "S-Sorry. . .I just wanted to. . .I. . ."

Tofu understood, telling him everything was good and the girl was responding a lot faster now. "Blood pressure is raising again. . .Breathing and pulse almost normal. I think you used your body like a set of jumping cables Ranryu-san. She is definitely responding way faster than before.

When he said that Akane opened her eyes again. This time stretching after days of convalescing on a bed and doing nothing but sleep. "I. . ." She felt her voice hoarse and too dry to talk, clearing it loudly several times before she tried again.

"I. . .Feel so alive . . ." Soun and Kasumi beamed, running at her side at the same time a boy calmed down, falling exhausted at her side. The girl saw him, strangely remembering the dreams. "I. . .I think I know him. . ." Kasumi and Soun were to busy caring for her puzzlement, but Ono was the one dismissing her beliefs. "I don't think so Akane-san. . .He came from the future. . ."

Akane smiled weakly as her brown eyes fell on a young man she dreamed as husband and lover. "I know Tofu Sensei. . .I know." Akane felt the need to reach and grab his arm, receiving as a response an unconscious smile the teen sprouted in his sleep. "I think is time we've met. . .Ranran. . ."

**Kawagoe Juvenile Prison.**

Ranma walked as if on death row, watching how other men whistled and cooed him like if they already knew he had a curse and his male body was more female now, giving them the extra rush they needed for so long. He still kept his chin high, responding back with his own kneaded brows full of defiance, but thinking inside who was he kidding. . .Sooner or later he was going to be swarmed by hundred of ruthless men ready to take him apart.

That feeling of emptiness was the force graying out his steely blue eyes to the blatant colorless they had become now. No one really understands why that happens, but when women become toys or slaves for evil men, they show that same deficiency as a way to express defeat and surrender. Their eyes start to lose their vivacity. . .Slowly pushing away the will to live and embracing nothing less than death instead.

Ranma was at the brink of madness waiting. . .Hoping and maybe, who knows. . .Just maybe, he could hang himself or stab his life away with the goal to leave this world with his fiancée. . .Both at the same time. That could be a happy ending after all.

Soon he arrived to the chambers where strange men shed him forcibly of any clothes, branding his naked skin with lustful desire. "Turn to the right." Commanded the several officers scrubbing his eyes over the contours of his shapely chest and almost missing lower regions.

There was some snickering from them, but what made Ranma a lot more nervous were the sudden apparition of more uniformed men entering into the already small crowded room. This had turned into a spectacle of greater proportions his mind wasn't able to take.

The pigtailed boy was at a loss now, keeping his eyes firmly grasping the ceiling instead of watching them ogle his misfortune. When they opened a hose like the kind firefighters use, the transformation won the applause and screams from the audience.

A naked and beautiful redheaded girl stayed with her hands firmly set on the head while her more prominent parts were displayed for everyone to see. "I-It's true!. . .He has a curse. I am going to have a blast even when I get to be the last one in line. . ."

By now Ranma was beyond shame or embarrassment. His eyes had turned completely gray. . .With no desire to live or even acknowledge where he was or what they were going to do to this body. The show finally stopped, leaving most guards booing disgruntled as they left while the first three officers doing the search and cleaning, or rather groping the girl, splashed her with steaming water. As they were done, the trio took the now boy back to his cell explicitly licking their lips and threatening the teen with slaps.

The walk of shame was again in effect, and although the boy was oblivious to the call from other inmates, their constant shrilling tones of desperation told him they waited no longer to have their claws on him. "_I. . .I can' think no more. I want ta react. . .Ta maybe jump out of here but at what price?. . .Bein' a escaped fugitive an' maybe endanger the Tendos?. . .No. . .Stop thinkin' and numb your body. . .hell is 'bout ta break loose_. . ."

When he arrived to his cell, another three men waited inside. Ranma was left in there with people ready to be the welcoming committee and they did as he expected, groping and touching him with their dirty hands. The sensation was disgusting and unpleasant until he saw out of the corner of his eye how they stopped the ministrations.

When he turned to stare at the men on the other cell, a tall and very muscular individual darted his eyes directly at his companions. "That brat is reserved to me alone. . .Don't you touch him again, or I will become the blight for the rest of your sentence."

Ranma realized he was a boss, if not the one in charge of most gangs in here, at least one of the strongest prisoners. The pigtailed boy sighed relieved by that brief moment of solitude and safety, but what about tomorrow morning when they would be set free on the courtyard like many talked during his transportation.

He wanted to believe one more time Ryoga could burst in the nick of time and rescue him from this hell, but everything was against this. There was no fanged teen, no lawyers appealing his case or family fighting for his freedom. . .To Ranma, there was nothing he needed to fight for anymore. . .Not Akane, and not his life as a man. That was already gone.

**Kawagoe city limits.**

At ten p.m. Ryoga and Nabiki arrived to Kawagoe city, in the Saitama prefecture. They immediately arranged a hotel with two separate rooms while the ice queen seemed a lot more interested in the local activities than the main reason to save her brother-in-law.

"C'mon Ryoga-kun!. . .There are lots of places where we can dine before going to bed." She acted more like a spoiled child testing the luxurious restaurants and expensive local establishments than a girl sentenced to be in prison the rest of her life.

Ryoga was taken by surprise by this, noting how she acted so carefree and jovial. There was a hidden part in her demeanor he managed to see more intently though. Something calling the deepest recess of his mind when she moved with sensuality while pulling from his arm towards the city.

The sensation was nice and cozy, letting the naive boy go with it and end up with a beautiful teenage girl surrounding his arms. "I bet no girl has ever showed you the night life of a city like I'm about to. . .Ryoga-honey?" The fanged teen easily fell for it at first, but the memory of a pigtailed boy in trouble forced him out of the enchantment.

"Nabiki-san!. . .This isn't a pleasure journey. We came to rescue Ranma before it's too late. . ." Still, the girl kept ignoring his cries as she pulled him into one of those places filled with extravagant lights and rare women dressed with exotic feathers.

Upon entering the locale, Ryoga almost begged the woman at the entrance out of misplaced fear when she actually had nothing but feathers covering strategically her body. Nabiki rolled her eyes disdainfully while she zapped him out of the trance with a flickering finger and took the boy to the restaurant inside.

"I swear Ryoga-honey. You'd fall for any woman if she'd treat you nicely. . .Even Ranma, wouldn't she?". The comment sent a red blush across his face, forcing a timid stare trying to deny the accusation, but failing miserably while doing so. "I-I would never look Ranma like that!. . .He is my friend and his honor means a lot to me."

Nabiki took a table ignoring his pleads, ordering food that its price could feed a village. "C'mon Ryo-kun. . .I know you have more than enough for these. Enjoy it baby and we'll be ready to defend Ranma-kun tomorrow morning." She threw him off the loop when his demanding response aimed to protect the pigtailed prisoner, but it looked like she was testing the waters more than actually asking interested about his feelings.

The lost boy scoffed her enthusiasm away, asking the waitress to be left alone while the girl enjoyed all manner of dishes she kept ordering. When Ryoga took a glance at Nabiki eating a few inches away, his temper deservedly exploded by a demeanor he found irritating.

The stupid teenage girl was actually tasting once the dish brought by the waitress and demanding condescendingly to take it away untouched and full. "What in the hell are you doing!" Berated the lost teen to his so called made up date so loud she looked at him startled. Most of the customers stared puzzled by the shout as well, fact that made the ice queen retract in her seat ashamed.

"I. . .I was just tasting the food." Replied somewhat taken back by the scolding. "Well, don't!. . .If we are going to have dinner, eat the whole thing or don't order at your leisure. . ." The girl expected a brave soul cutting the boy short, but instead all hands clapped at his demeanor, congratulating him for his integrity as a gentleman.

Of course Ryoga didn't care one bit for any of that. He wasn't even nervous or tense by the other people praising his speech, he was worried sick on how his best friend. . .The only one capable to make him feel loved and cared for, was trapped with hundred of men ready to take him apart.

Nabiki on the other hand was mesmerized by the heroic act. Giving the girl another good point to have a manly boy like Ryoga at her side. "Ryo-kun. . .?" The name called by her sweet lips made the male teen veer towards the girl.

"I'm sorry Ok?. . .I wanted to act all high and mighty, but your right. . .I promise to be more careful from now on." Ryoga couldn't help to see those beautiful brown eyes watching him closely. Nabiki is a very pretty girl and no man should leave such beautiful girl go if she would be interested on him.

But the real question would be. . .Could Nabiki be interested on "him"? That was something he needed to resolve right away among other very pressing matters. "Nabiki-san. . .We need to talk while we eat." The teenage girl gave him her undivided attention, making the boy a bit nervous now, but not like he used to get.

"There are two favors I need to ask of you. First. . .When I take Ranma out of here, I will leave to get more gems so I can sell them. I need you to study with Ranran, and tell him to explain you all the information from the people charging Ranma with crimes."

"Second. . .I need you to contact Akari Unryu, and Anna Brown. . .They are the trick I must reserve before this month passes. . .Will you do this for me?. . .I can always spare a gem or two for you." The simple fact to offer her such riches meant a lot for the ice queen, but why accept a meager piece or two when she could have it all?

"I know who they are honey, but why would you want them if I'm here for you?" The declaration was daring indeed, but if there's one thing Nabiki always exceeded as a huntress, that would be how smart she was as one. Ryoga stared into her eyes, finding hard to read her intentions, but the option was more than appealing for the boy as well.

He knew the ambitious teen could not be trusted, but then again riches which he now had were a powerful magnet to keep her at bay. In the end, Ryoga acted just as cold as Nabiki when in his mind either Akari, Anna or her could function to save his life.

Dinner went perfectly afterwards. Both teens took off with some trouble after the fanged boy almost lost his way to the hotel, but Nabiki proved to be a better guide for both, taking him directly to his room and asking him not to leave until she knocked the door the next day.

There were only a few hours before they needed to take off, but the fanged teen was more than tense by the order of things he needed to fix. Sleepless hours turned his nerves to putty, but he remained firm. . .Desperately focusing on the millions upon millions stacked in a single check and the required documents his son asked Miss Satou on the phone for Ranma's conviction.

Oddly enough, an hour or two before dawn would arrive, a loud knock startled Ryoga from his tense slumber. With eyes so red and glassy they hurt, the teenage boy dragged his feet towards the door and when he opened it a very feminine bundle drop on him, forcing the two on the floor. . .The boy on top of the girl.

"Ryoga!. . .I was going to ask you to be ready. . .Um. . .Gasp!" Nabiki laid on the floor with the boy hovering over her, both staring at each other until Nabiki's flustered features made Ryoga flex his right hand feeling something with his fingers and forcing a moan from the girl. Whatever he was grasping felt soft and warm which he found strangely comforting.

In fact. It was so comfy, several loud clicks heard in the distance meant nothing for the boy who loved squeezing that soft, round pillow with caress. "Ouch!. . .Ryoga-kun. You may, but should't you ask first?"

That cue was enough for the fanged boy to tilt his head, guiding his eyes through his shoulder, arm and lastly his hand grasping Nabiki's left breast. Ryoga immediately jumped away from the girl and grabbed his hand like if it was on fire.

The ice queen didn't react with ire or slapped the boy like he imagined but for some reason, she looked busier covering the lens in the silvery camera suddenly appearing on her hands. "Nabiki-san. . .I-I swear it was an accident!. . ." He panted nervously but the teenage girl had more than enough proof and the accident made her easier to handle him with expert dominance. "Don't mention it Ryo-kun, just get ready and I'll see you in two hours."

When the hotel's morning call rang, the teen was dressed and ready, waiting for his companion to knock again. When she did, there was no more time to lose or so Ryoga thought trying to forget the last incident. Nabiki was more than happy by his demeanor when the boy acted so mature but the tiniest trickle of blood dared to show out of his left nostril.

When they arrived, Miss Satou already waited on the main gates where two guards held the woman back. "I'm sorry Miss, but today is Saturday and there is no business to be attended until Monday." They left her out, closing the gates again.

When she saw the taxi arrive, the first reaction was surprise. . .Followed by anger and finally desperation. She met Nabiki Tendo and another fellow she hadn't been introduced before, but what made her flare, was the daring taunt the middle sister tried to pull on her expense.

"Miss Nabiki!. . .Are you aware this is too far from your city?. . .There is a restriction order preventing you from leaving Nerima. What are you doing here?" The questions kept pounding on an unsuspecting teen, but the fanged boy was the one in charge now, forsaking her requests like meaningless banter with no point after he had the way to save her.

"That doesn't matter now Miss Satou. . .Did you bring all the paperwork my friend asked you?" The woman squinted her eyes trying to identify him, but there was no mention of the boy until Nabiki called out his name. When she remembered his namesake, she knew there were extensive folders reporting his misbehavior as well, fact that was of no help for the others accused from the same crimes.

"Ryoga Hibiki. . .I know who you are and believe me young man. There are many charges against you as well, specially from vandalism and disturbing the peace." Ryoga decided to forget what she talked about, pressing the woman with the documents instead.

"Yes, I brought all of them, but why!. . .Today is not a business day, and they won't let us in." Ryoga dismissed that off too, asking the lawyer to repeat to the guards what he instructed her in detail. After they talked, Miss Satou walked near the guard again, this time asking him to see the warden.

"I have pressing matters to attend with him about prison regulations being high jacked by guards and inmates alike." That not only peeked their attention, but got them nervous when there was an investigation underway no one knew about in that precise moment.

"F-Fine. . .Please come this way, but what you see here must not leave the premises. . ." The warning sounded so ominous for the two female visitors who began to hear noises from within the main building. When they entered, Inspector Tanaka was already with the warden discussing the situation they were in.

"Detective!. . .What are you doing here!?" The man in the trench coat recalled the lawyer in charge of Mr. Saotome and Miss Tendo immediately. He took them by the arm and outside when Ryoga stopped him. "What's going on?" Asked tensely the boy.

"Look. . .You aren't safe here as of now. There has been a riot in the courtyard thanks to some tugs keeping Mr. Saotome trapped. . .The warden called me last night when he noticed the outcry from all the inmates about a certain transsexual admitted as a man, and who must be given for everyone to "use". . ."

"I don't know Ranma's situation but they locked the doors and we aren't able to get to him." Ryoga knew this was the deal breaker. . .The moment Ranma changed in the future, and based on that feeling of hopelessness, he ignored every police officer trying to stop him from moving forward.

"Son!. . .I don't care if he is your friend. They have the patio well guarded and under their control. .. If you don't want to die, leave the situation to the guards." The warning was fair and understandable, but Ryoga refused to give in, turning around for just a moment and demanding the man in the trench coat to answer for his worries about his friend. "And Ranma?. . .What will happen to him if I wait?" He didn't wait for a response, leaving the guards alone on the corridor and running back through the entrance, and outside the building.

Miss Satou and Nabiki followed the boy until they saw perplexed how the teen jumped over the wall like if it was nothing. "He is as skilled as Mr. Saotome isn't it Miss Tendo?" Asked the lawyer to a bewildered Nabiki who slowly nodded.

"You have no idea Miss. . .He is the perfect match against Ranma in almost every sense." On the other side of the wall, things couldn't get any uglier. Ryoga saw dozens of orange clad prisoners surrounding Ranma in the far corner of the prison.

His friend looked strange though. . .As if he was devoid of all life and a husk of a teen was standing there without fighting against his enemies. "Damn it!. . .What's that idiot doing?" Wondered the teen exasperatedly. Ryoga couldn't wait any longer, jumping to the ground at the same time his muscles tensed by the exertion of strength.

"_I remember Kara saying something about a technique. . .Let's see. Focus the Bakusai-Tenketsu in my whole body. . .Don't search for a breaking point, but let the Chi flow through_." As he said that, the pressure to save Ranma, the need to cure Akane and the need to survive prompted his self to be ready for the assault.

The energy began to flow, filling more his legs and hands but making a thin layer of thickness all around. On the other side of the court from where Ryoga had fallen, the tall man savored the boy standing in front of him. He wasn't scared, he noted, watching how the frozen statue of a pretty boy let him have his way without resistance.

But when the muscular man stared at his eyes, they were off. . .Almost like turned down by the feeling of hopelessness he had seen on other victims. "You know, you're not the first I taken down boy, and those eyes. . .Those are the "deer caught in the headlights" syndrome weak women get when there's no salvation from me."

The man gave the signal, letting one of his underlings to throw a bucket of cold water at him. "Oh yes!. . .That's what I've been waiting for so long." As he said that, his strong hands ripped the redhead's overall to shreds.

This was it. . .The very moment a very naked and exposed female Ranma knew it was bound to happen, still staying unmovable and letting all see his shame. "After I'm done with you, there will be another hundred men turning you into the worthless piece you are." The boss extended his hand, almost reaching the girl who did nothing but freeze in the spot.

That's when a giant explosion forced him to veer around. All the strong inmates in the first group closest to the girl saw how in the distance several men flew into the air, crashing against the wall while the inmates stuck in the middle fell on top of other inmates. It looked like whatever doing this came straight to the boss and his cohorts.

"What the hell!?" Demanded the tall prisoner towards the strange bull coming at full stampede in his direction. "This ain't funny people!. . .Get the weapons and be ready to attack whatever is coming!" The group armed themselves with shanks, broken posts and even the legs of tables used as bats.

They all waited as the monster kept sending men flying all over the place. No one was able to see what it was when the only thing he left behind was a cloud of dust clashing with inmates and exercise equipment. When they almost met each other, several hundred men were scattered on the scorched and deformed ground, crying and howling in pain by the attack while leaving no desire to move at all.

When that menace stopped, the cloud of dust slowly began to subside, leaving only a teenage boy breathing heavily in its place. "So!. . .We have another fresh meat ready to be grinded. . .Boys!. . .Stay in line, 'cuse this will be a day to remember. . ."

The inmates cheered by his words, apparently forgetting what this teen was capable to do. Ryoga dismissed his threats off, rushing again like a rhinoceros against anyone willing to stand his ground. "No!. . .You are not going to take what belongs to me!" Was the last thing the prisoner could muster before he too, flew away against the wall and knocked out by the impact. When Ryoga stopped in front of his friend, he saw nothing in his eyes. His anger flared increasing his intent to kill, but Ranma was more important than revenge right now.

The teen took off his shirt, dressing carefully at the girl which incidentally made his clothes on her drop all the way to knee level conveniently. Ryoga carried Ranma bridal style, but with his right hand he covered her feet while his left stayed behind the back of her head, cradling her completely in the crevice of his chest.

"Damn it!. . .C'mon Ranma snap out of it!" The girl was completely devoid of any reaction though. At some point he felt her hands grab his chest firmly like if she was so afraid, as if there was no other safe place but that hollow crevice in his body. "F-Fine. . .Stay there and rest my friend, I'll get you out of here in a second."

As he said that, the boy turned around to see a good half of the inmates well armed and ready to kill the bastard taking their beauty away. Ryoga spat carelessly aside, started to run and went straight towards the main entrance where the officers waited for his return.

The fanged teen kept evading the attacks, avoiding the metal pipes swinging almost hitting his head, and in the last moment he jumped on the heads of some of those prisoners. "_W-What's goin' on?. . .Shouldn't I be feelin' used and tainted?. . .There are arms holding me tight, but. . .But they're not gropin' or touchin' me like Kuno_."

Ranma's blue eyes started to wake up. A shade of blue here, and another there, giving that vivid hue some color to her dead orbs. "_T-This shirt. . .The smell is so weird. I know who this scent is, but I can' put my finger on. . .W-Wait. . .R-Ryoga?. . .Is it you_?"

As she thought on her dear friend, Ranma slowly snapped back into reality, raising her head and looking at the fanged boy trying to take them into safety. "R-Ryoga. . .You came. . ." Were the weak words the redhead managed to say quietly.

Ryoga looked down, meeting the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen, and yet the girl never stopped grasping his chest. Ranma felt the trembling need to stay glued to the boy despite who she really was, but knowing she was safe from the other monsters.

The lost teen tried to tell her they would be safe soon, but something changed the tide of the escape. "AARG!" Grunted Ryoga when a sharp pain ran across his back. Still, he kept avoiding most attacks even after the pain began to increase.

He felt several aching ripples traveling through his body, but there was no turning back now. The room where all the officers, Nabiki and Miss Satou waited was only a few steps away and this had to be the last push the boy needed to take. He pressed on, making his way through the last of the mass when he noted everything was locked up from the outside.

"He's not going to make it!" Screamed the lawyer when several tables and equipment were stacked on the outside door, obstructing his way in. Ryoga stared at the crystal dividing the officers from the prisoners. It was a thick, bullet proof glass made to restrain riots like this.

With a smile, the lost boy told Nabiki to move, running at the glass at the same time his forehead stayed in course. "Is he mad!?. . .That glass can stop high caliber bullets. . .Nothing can break it through" Explained the warden.

"You don't know Ryoga Hibiki then. . .He is a walking tank when his friends are in need." Responded proudly Nabiki as she moved the lawyer and the detective away from the crystal. "SMASH!" came the loud sound of glass breaking after the high pressure applied by Ryoga's forehead clashed with the window, impacting directly against it.

Everyone gasped when the glass didn't break into millions of tiny pieces, but in big, deformed chunks flying everywhere. The boy carrying a girl felt some of those pieces stab his arms, slash his face but most notably they saw his forehead open by the crash, and bleeding profusely.

The teen swirled in the air, landing on his back while the rest of the officers grabbed tables and used them as a barrier to stop the riot. Guns came into play and the gas pellets confused the rest of the inmates trying to escape.

The scene was gory to say the least. Guards and officials saw the amount of blood spilling on the floor, wondering how much can a human being lose before passing out and dying. "Quick!. . .Take him to the infirmary!" Demanded the warden while the rest slowly brought order at the riot.

Two of the main guards took Ryoga and the girl to the infirmary. When they arrived, they tried to separate both teens, noticing how the redhead firmly grasped his chest with no desire to let him go. They tried to pry her away so the doctors could treat the injured teen, but she never gave up, grasping him harder the more they pulled.

"Let her be!. . .Just take me to a bed with her." Said Ryoga who could barely feel the wincing pain on his back now. They were fixed in a hospital bed, Ryoga on his side while Ranma stayed glued to his torso. "Don't worry Ranma. . .You are safe now. Rest and enjoy your freedom.

As he said that, a forced grunt made the redhead turn up and see all the blood gushing out of his back, arms and forehead. Ranma peeked over his shoulder, watching how the medics tried to pull more than half a dozen shanks deep into his flesh.

"_H-He saved me. . .Ryoga came to my rescue an' took me away from those bastards_." The girl saw how her friend slowly began to doze off, his eyelids slightly closing by the intense pain, but she watched mesmerized a tiny smile of satisfaction tugged on his lips. . .Like if he had done something right at last.

"T-Thank you Ryoga. . .I knew you would never leave me alone. . ." She fixed herself back in his arms, demanding with her angry grasp that no one should take her away until her savor would be awake. And so they did, leaving the pair alone after eleven shanks and made up weapons were pulled from his body. At the end of the ordeal his arms were bandaged, a big stitched line ran across his face and both teens were left alone while the riot finally died down.

At last he was safe, but how. . .that was the question starting to linger in his mind. There was absolutely no way for anyone capable to reach that kind of money. Not to mention free him after the situation he was in, but Ryoga did both.

The thoughts made Ranma consider his friend's emotions as a very important part of his life. He realized now something he hadn't thought before though. "_Just as I persuade him into thinking on me instead of Akane on that date, I was thinkin' on him instead of her all this time. . .I guess the joke is on me_." Chuckled tiredly.

The feelings he experienced in that moment wanted to clash with who he was, and that was a fight he alone had to face alone. He is a man or so he was born that way, but the curse made him into the woman he despised so much, and now. . .Now he was thinking that maybe that relationship between the fanged boy and him wasn't so far-fetched.

"_Maybe we are meant to be somethin' more than just. _. ." He lastly succumbed to the tiredness of all this ordeal like his friend did, resting peacefully at his side. "You think he'll be alright, Miss Tendo?" Wondered the lawyer about the state Ranma and his friend were.

"Oh, these two have got in so many troubles in the past. Believe me, this is a terrible situation, but not as bad as other occasions where even my sister has been kidnapped." The middle Tendo led the warden and Ranma's lawyer to a secluded room where they discussed the pigtailed boy's release.

"This is a check for forty million yen as a bail money for his release, and according with all the documents Miss Satou brought, I will deliver my bail money as well in three weeks from now. All the charges against Ranma will be cleared as well, so please tell those morons trying to enslave him that he has means to pay back all his debt and mine."

The warden and the detective gaped when they saw the amount on the check, unable to believe how was she able to do it in the first place. The warden received the call from the supreme high court judge, admitting the release was officially declared.

"After getting the check and according to these circumstances I agree Miss Satou. . .You may take Ranma Saotome away from my prison. . .I don't want the likes of him here anyway." Both girls jumped happy by the verdict, knowing this was the first part in Ranma's and her salvation. When Nabiki returned to the infirmary room, she found the lost boy off the bed and dressing with a gown on top of his pants. "Ryoga! . . .You're far from ready to move, what are you doing?"

The boy was able to pull the redhead's hands away, forcing his aching and still bleeding back from bursting open again. "Nabiki. . .Call Dr. Tofu and ask him to come. I need to find the rest of the gems for your debts and work on Ranma's marriage with Akane-san before my time expires."

The bobbed haired teen refused to move. One thing was to prey on his emotions and weak state of mind, but to leave him as his blood began to seep through the bandages was just too cruel. She was about to yell at him when she saw "it".

Ryoga traced his finger across Ranma's cheek and chin. His eyes firmly glued to her tired frame. . .Thinking. . .Maybe even wishing. "You love him. . .Why do all this when you could be happy?" Asked the girl, endearing his attempts.

Ryoga was lost in the redhead's features, sighing with trembling shakes when that cute nose matched perfectly with those pouting lips, and the strange blue shade over her eyes. . .He always wondered if that was part of the curse or if he liked to do it himself.

After a second or two he twirled around, taking a deep breath and explaining why his happiness was forbidden. "I can't. . .Before all this mess happened I firmly swore to make Akane and Ranma happy, and they love each other more than I could ever feel for any of them."

The girl walked at his side, resting her hand on his shoulder as she pried a bit deeper into her original question. "Maybe he could love you back, but he is a man. . .That's the deal breaker isn't?" Ryoga scoffed and chuckled one time after the other, letting the girl know he was past those emotions.

"I don't care about that stuff Nabiki. . .I love Ranma because he is Ranma. Not the man or the woman, but the person he became. . .Still, my mission is not over and I'm running out of time. Nabiki, please do as I said and give me a shred of hope so I can see my friend's happiness."

The middle Tendo registered every word, keeping it tightly in her mind as she went ahead and contacted Ono. Ryoga slowly brushed Ranma's bangs from her face, staring at the pink shade across her nose. "Damn. .. I wouldn't mind living at your side you damn mule. . .But a promise is a promise."

He left with small steps towards the entrance of the building, waiting patiently for his new partner to appear. Staring at the bright sky, the teen clicked his tongue in defeat. "Why am I having doubts?. . .I know Ranma belongs to Akane, I always knew that. But Karen and Ranryu. . .Our times together as a couple and how well we get along. My head is about to explode but I must stay strong. . .Ranma is a man and I must never forget the shame he would have if he hears me say all this."

An hour later Ono arrived, staying at his side as he planned with the lost boy all the places he needed to visit with the goal to accomplish his mission before the thirty-eight days were over. "How's Akane-san doc?" The young man smirked at his questioning looks, bobbing his head with the idea to praise his efforts.

"You know she is doing fine now Ryoga-kun. . .I don't know how you brought him from the future, but that boy knows things I would never dream to practice. So yes Ryoga. . .She is doing a lot better thanks to you."

Ryoga felt better by the news, walking proudly right before he twirled in place and fell to the ground. "Ryoga!" The doctor helped him up, touching his back and getting his hands full of blood. "You are bleeding profusely!. . .We need to get you into a. . ."

"No!. . .I must leave Tofu-san. There isn't much time left for me before the end, and I must leave Ranma and Akane safely." Ono Tofu was always willing to help those who reach him no matter the consequences, but ignorant of this young teen's cries for help never.

He stopped from moving ahead, grabbing the boy's arm and forcing Ryoga to stare back at him. "Listen Ryoga-kun. I know I must help you and I will, but not blindly. . .Now, tell me why are you so stubborn about getting help and what exactly do you want me to do?"

The fanged teen found no other option but to confide on the doctor, deciding to sit on the ground and start his story while Ono bandaged his wounds. "I see. . .If no one loves you by the thirty-eight days you will cease to exist in this time."

"No wonder you keep rushing things" The boy shrugged complacent by his decision to save those who initially deserved to live as a couple, accepting his nomadic life would never work in a stable family. "I love Akane-san and Ranma is my very best friend doctor. . .I would give my life for him without thinking it, and they deserve each other. . .I'm just a screw up worth nothing but to die for a noble cause."

Ono saw the hate Ryoga had about his miserable life. The doctor had heard in the past how Akane always worried about his dear friend, but the young lost teen seemed more affected by depression than an average teen. "I'm going to stay at your side for as long as I can Ryoga, but when the time comes, promise me you will let Akane and Ranma know all of this. . .They are your friends and deserve to know about your plans."

The teen accepted the deal, taking his hand and getting on the road ready to find all the mines and gems Ranryu had memorized and wrote for the fanged teen to get. "First, we need to find these coordinates Dr. . .As we confirm and buy the places, I may need your help along the way, but if I'm correct we should have enough to pay Nabiki and Ranma's debt before my time comes."

**Nerima.**

Back on the Tendo Residence, the almost dead girl barely opened her eyes. This was the fifth session where Ranryu transfused blood after the big shock in the morning. The young man from the future looked exhausted since the several tries went from the prior night until today, not to mention the strongest one draining him from any blood for himself.

"Ranryu-kun, I brought some soup and bread for you. Remember to always be strong if you plan to give my sister blood this often." Admonished wisely Kasumi who remained thankful for what he was doing despite any relation between them.

"T-Thank you Kasumi-san. . .I really appreciate all this." The teen practically absorbed the bowl in a matter of seconds, reminding the elder girl how close this boy looked to Ranma. "Oh my. . .Better bring you another bowl. You must be hungrier than I thought."

The boy blushed by the comment, but he was hungrier maybe because all the transfusions he explained, trying to veer any resemblance to his mother away. When she left, another voice startled Ranryu from his meditative state. "I-I. . .I recognize you from somewhere. . ." Declared a weak Akane when her eyes found the boy rather interesting.

He was beyond afraid to see her since this was the moment he waited for so long. Ranryu looked down and stared at those brown eyes hunting his childhood. "I do recognize you as well Akane-san. I've dreamed about you for countless nights. . .I learned every curve, shape and color in you beautiful face and how strong willed you've become over the years."

There it was again. Akane remembered him from her dreams as well. She saw what it looked like Ranma but this boy was much different with his demeanor and way of talk. "What does this mean?. . .You are not Ranma, but you look almost like him. . ."

Ranryu clenched his teeth, forcing the truth down just like his father wanted and instead, he began to talk from his own experiences. "I come from the future where Ryoga brought me. . .He and Ranma are dear to me, but there was something bothering us for the longest time. . .Something they helped me resolve."

"You see. Ever since I was little, I found this picture with several young teens modeling on a beach. They looked so happy and I recognized all of them. Well, almost all. . .In my time you were missing and that erupted doubt in my heart. When I found about you from other friends, they all told me how stubborn and tomboyish you were, but it's not like that at all. . ."

He kept telling the girl how her name was a synonymous of headstrong women willing to sacrifice everything for the good of men. He mentioned the biggest, most advanced hospital in Tokyo has her name on his time, and many young women strive to become their own individuals based on her way of life.

"You became a pillar towards all females wanting to become more than wives and mothers. That inspired me to search for you. . .To find what makes you so strong and willful, that's what made me ask Ryoga for a chance to come on this time and find out on my own."

"And here I am. . .Seventeen years in the past I'm staring at the most beautiful girl in the world with the hopes to get to know her." The complement made Akane blush, and although her weak breathing made her move slower, some type of energy seeped around the teens who started to pull themselves closer.

Akane and Ranryu kept moving as if some force fueled this magnetic attraction. The girl saw a boy willing to give everything for her and that made her move with all her strength. Ranryu did feel so attracted to her as well, forgetting the state he was and moving ever so slightly towards the girl.

There were mere inches between the two until their lips touched with a passionate desire to be one. The feeling was there, feeding both into pressing and accept the demonstration as sublime and spontaneous. "_I-I can't stop. . .He is like Ranma, but I can feel his need to stay with me. . .To give himself freely_. . ."

When they moved apart from each other, Akane saw a twinkle in his eye. Some type of satisfaction the boy displayed when he accomplished the impossible, and when the girl remembered what he said about not existing in his time, Akane felt a sense of untimely love between the two.

"W-Why did you follow Ryoga-kun again?. . .I get I wasn't there, but who are your parents, and . . ." Her doubts started to grow, but the teen opted for letting the girl rest, after all Anemia was a terrible and debilitating state which came handy as a deterrent for Akane's interest. "Sleep my beautiful Akane Tendo, I will explain everything as we meet each other every day. . ." Ranryu left the girl alone, walking with unsteady steps towards the door.

When he left, the girl could feel strong enough to move, and being tired of laying on bed for days, she decided that would be the first thing she needed to do differently. Akane stretched carefully, making sure she was at least a bit stable, and procuring not overdoing it.

A deep breath and a slow release gave her the much needed oxygen to the brain, helping her tired lungs and feeling how the blood of the boy worked wonders in her own. "I wonder who he is. . .Ranma's son is a given after the way he looks, but who could be the mother?. . .Or rather. . .Could Ryoga be the father?" She drove her fingers under the chin, meditating carefully what to do if that were the case.

"He implied I died in his time, but thanks to him and Ryoga-kun I'm alive now. What does that mean?. . .Oh. . .All these present to future lessons confuse me so much. I better wait for him to explain it better." She decided her tiny stretch was enough, going back to bed in the precise moment Kasumi entered the room.

"Akane-Chan, you seem a lot stronger now." She couldn't deny it, smiling at the same time she outstretched her arms, demanding her unsung hero to hug her back. "I am sis. . .But besides that. Thank you. . .Believe it or not, I could feel your care and worry every single day, and it killed me to see how distressed you became. Sis. . .You are like a second mother for me."

The eldest felt the pride rise, but she was never the gloating type. Instead, the girl tilted her head puzzled, wondering what was going on after her revival. "Akane-Chan. . .Is there something going on with Ranryu and you?" The youngest Tendo blushed by the comment, but more importantly, she flushed when the mention of that boy made her smile dumbly.

"You could say that sis. I know he is too weak from the transfusions, but I will talk with him and know why he came at all. . .I know he wants to save me, but I can see how much he likes me. Besides, if I died on his past and now I'm alive in our present, I need to know what will change between Ranma and Ryoga-kun."

Kasumi had heard some of the incredible things Nabiki talked when the ice queen elaborated her plans and thus understanding how Ryoga really felt about Ranma from the beginning. They arrived to the conclusion those two hooked up after their sister's death, and they were no fools when a boy exactly looking like Ranma, not to mention a fang sticking so clearly from his mouth, decided to come along from the future.

"I see. . .Well, he is asleep right now, but asked me to wake him up in three hours. It's going to be very interesting to hear what he will say then." Both girls fantasized about what happened in the future as time moves along, giving a sense of anticipation so strong, they had trouble leaving the conversation for later.

**Kawagoe.**

Back at the infirmary, a redheaded teen started to blink awake when the heat of a missing body told her she was alone. Ranma slowly sat on the hospital bed, searching everywhere for the boy who managed to save her dignity and life in one swoop.

"He is not here Ranma-kun. He left about three hours ago and believe me. . .You won't see him in weeks." When the redhead turned around, the ice queen had Ranma's clothes the guards had confiscated before taking him to his cell.

The girl pulled Ryoga's shirt, still feeling his heat and scent and refusing to put it away when the other girl decided to intervene. "Listen Ranma. . .I don't want to get in trouble, but Ryoga-kun has given me explicit orders to take you back home, and formulate the wedding between you and my sister."

That made Ranma uncomfortable, feeling how the lost boy was planning her life without her consent. "I don' get it. . .I thought he an' I. . .Well. . .You know. . ." Declared nervously the teen. "Yeah, I know because I saw how much he loves you, but there are other plans he wants to follow and I won't stop him."

When Ranma went back to his original form there was no other way to cover his shame, displaying to Nabiki the voluptuous shape of his chest without being transformed at all. "So. . ." Asked the middle Tendo tensely. "Is that part of the curse?. . .Or are you trying for a new life style."

The boy snarled at her, walking towards the building's entrance ready to leave. "Of course it was the curse, but more importantly. . .Where did Ryoga go to, an' why did he leave alone?" Nabiki explained Tofu was with him, guiding him into the world with the idea to find more money for their debt.

"He has nearly three hundred million yen on a bank account we created last night. He told me to use it for your wedding ceremony. . .By the way, he chose this so you would be ready for anything." Replied the girl before showing him a box with four beautiful rings made with the biggest of diamonds sparkling at full view.

"Two for you and two for Akane. . .A set for the engagement, and another for you to give during the ceremony." Ranma stared at the clear rocks set on the bands. They were big and precious, but the sparkling made him react surprised.

"Akane!. . .How is she?" The middle sister nodded with a smile, describing him how another boy from the future came with Ryoga and he had saved her sister. "I called an hour ago and she is already up and walking. . .Ranma. I don't know how to say this, but Ryoga saved us all. . .My sister, you and I."

That same thought lingered in his mind, forcing a battle between thanking his friend properly or rush at his fiancée's side and make sure she was fine. But. . .He never thought about a wedding, or if he would try to respond to Akane's love. Not after all the sacrifice the lost boy was doing.

"L-Let's go. . .I need ta talk with 'kane an' solve this new mess revolvin' in my noggin." Nabiki understood what he meant, after all she was there when Ryoga admitted his love for Ranma no questions asked. "Sure Ranma-kun. . .I know there are lots of things we need to discuss."

The journey back from there to Nerima was rather fast. . .An hour mostly, but driving on the train Nabiki made the boy wonder about certain things he missed before. "Nabiki. . .Tell me What happened before he left."

The girl fought with the idea to give him hopes when the real reason Ryoga tried his best, was to marry him with her sister. "I. . .I can't Ranma. Just know that he is the best friend you could ever have. He has gone beyond friendship more than once, but you have a girl to marry and he has a mission to fulfill."

She opted to restrain Ryoga's true feelings from him. After all, she swore to keep Ranma in a straight line towards Akane, and who knows. . .Maybe the ice queen could make a good business in all this after all. Ranma knew there was more, but he bid his time, preferring to reserve intimate explanations with the only boy he would consider loving.

It was a bit longer than an hour for the pair to arrive when he realized the long and sharp sound from the brakes told him they were home. There was a feeling of tension in the air Ranma could not understand, but as they made their way to the Tendo residence, those feelings told him his senses weren't wrong at all.

There she stood. . .The most precious girl he had ever met although he never admitted it publicly, but. . .Who was the boy sitting at her side. Ranma walked into the house after he stared at the girl laughing and joking with a mirror image of himself.

When he opened the door, Akane flung from her sitting spot towards the door, hugging the boy dearly. "Ranma!. . .You are fine, oh!. . .I'm so glad your Ok." Said the girl ecstatic. The pigtailed boy saw yet another pigtailed teen acting rather nervously on the couch.

"I'm back but. . .Who's that?" Both teens walked towards each other, searching for the subtle differences they had in between. "Ranma. . .I want you to meet Ranryu. He came from the future with Ryoga and thanks to him I feel so alive!"

The girl found no reason to fret, walking back to her room when Kasumi asked her to take it easy. "C'mon Akane-Chan. . .You may feel fine, but Ran-kun needs his nap before the next treatment." She obeyed blindly, leaving the two boys back on the living room.

"Well, I guess I owe you big man. . .Thanks for savin' the tomboy. . ." Ranryu found the name calling a bit harsh, but this was another time, making it a normal thing. "S-Sure. . .I'm going to see how's she doing and then I'll take a nap. . .E-Excuse me."

As the teen ran stairs up to Akane's bedroom, Ranma noted some kind of fear the boy displayed towards him. Something made him rush behind, but in the last moment he waited before knocking on the door. With an ear carefully glued to the wood, the pigtailed boy remained quiet while the two inside talked about their problems.

"Akane. . .I can't talk to Ranma now. . .I just can't. Would it be Ok if I stayed away from him until I can get used to?" The girl had her suspicions, finding this the right moment to clear them up. "Why Ranryu. . .Why would you be so nervous about Ranma?"

The teen felt the threat from her words, forcing his mouth shut close and just staring at the window. "S-Sorry. . .I can't say. . ." That was the cue Ranma used to barge in, gaining the surprised looks from both teens.

"Why man. . .Why do I make you nervous?. . .Is it maybe that I'm Akane's fiance an' the only one who should be with her in here?" The new arrival felt the pressure too strong, forcing his eyes down mechanically despite the puzzled looks the other two had.

"Ranryu. . .Answer me!" Shouted Ranma trying to test the waters against this new opponent, but the boy from the future brought his closed fists to the sides fearfully, admitting Ranma's authority just like she had imposed in his time. Ranma had no idea what was going on with his demeanor, but when Akane stared at him, she decided to defuse the situation.

"I think what we need is some hot tea and talk about this calmly." When she said that, her brows jumped, signaling the new pigtailed boy to go into the kitchen. "Well?. . .You heard her. Go down there and get us some tea. . .Now!" Finished Ranma with a harsh tone, enjoying the scared obedience the traveler exercised mindlessly .

"Y-Yes mom. . ." Said the boy as he left them alone, completely oblivious of what he blurted out or why, remembering her word was absolute. When he closed the door, Ranma and Akane looked at each other questioningly. "D-Did he just called me mom?"

"I knew it. . .Yes Ranma, I knew he was your son by the way he acted and the obvious looks." The boy's head kept spinning uncontrollably, wondering what did all this meant. "But. . .If he is my son, than who's. . ." His eyes bulged this time, arriving at the same conclusion Akane did.

"Y-You don' think. . .Ryoga. . .An' me!?" The youngest Tendo nodded with his conclusion, affirming how everything supposedly happened after her demise. "Think about it Ranma. I die. . .Ryoga fights to save you from prison and sooner or later you two hook up. Besides. . .Have you seen the fangs he has?"

Now the room began to spin around, forcing the boy to grab his head while his body dropped in a thud against the floor. "T-This is crazy. . .I actually accepted him an' went all the way?. I never thought. . ." He kept ranting crazily about all the weird explanations making sense, and despite his feelings towards the lost boy were inclined in that direction, one thing was feeling them and another actually having a son.

"Wait!. . .Why are you so happy?. . .Don' you think we should clear all this mess first?" Asked the boy to a bewildered girl. Akane felt a tinge of red heat up across her nose. She was getting along with the new boy, but what about the kiss. . .That's wasn't exactly a friendly demonstration between an elder woman and a kid who wasn't even born yet.

"I don't know Ranma. Maybe because I'm alive?. . .Or because you form a wonderful life in the future with Ryoga-kun?. . .All this is so strange, but the key to solve it lies in Ranryu and his story." Ranma couldn't agree more and so they waited until the boy entered the bedroom with a tray. . .Three cups of tea on it.

"Good. . .Leave 'em on the desk an' come here. . ."Ranryu obediently set the tray on the desk, walking at the side of the pigtailed teen and kneeling before him. Ranma felt weird, but he could see how much respect Ranryu had for him.

"Man. . .I-I mean. . .S-Son, I know who you are, but I'd like ta know 'bout you. . .Can you tell us more?" Ranryu gasped quietly, admitting he had been found out, but as he looked to the side ashamed, the boy confessed he had different orders.

"Sorry mom, but I promised someone I wouldn't talk at all. . ." Ranma felt the need to be strict, but Akane decided not to. Instead, the girl grabbed his bangs, forcing his eyes on her. "Did your dad forced you to be quiet. . .Did. . .Ryoga asked you to?"

His eyes trembled in fear, but there was something else, something that told the girl she was right. "I see. . .I guess it's better if we ask him first handed." Ranma bared his teeth angrily, and with his fingers, the pigtailed teen grabbed Ranryu's chin, pulling his face towards him.

"Why?. . .I am your mother after all. Shouldn't you be afraid of me?" The title alone made Ranma quiver in shame, but he wanted to know why would he bend to the will of Ryoga more than his. "S-Sorry mom. . .You are amazing and hard, but pops is way worse. . .Believe me, I would never cross him in my life." That made Ranma sneer louder, angry that Ryoga would top his authority. "Fine. . .Guess we wait for that idiot ta come an' explain us."

"I don't think that'll do mom. His instructions are to work on the money to pay you and Nabiki's debt before. . ." But that's all he said, shutting his mouth tightly before letting them know what would happen next. "What!. . .Before what?"

He stood up, bowing before both teens and leaving the room. "I'm really sorry mom, but he has a plan and I must abide to it. . .Besides." Said the boy with sadden eyes and a trembling lip. "Y-You. . .You two need to be ready for your wedding soon."

Ranma and Akane saw tears swell on his eyes. . .Tears that he dismissed with the back of his arm before leaving them alone. "Ranma. . .If you and I marry, he won't exist!. . .Think about it. . ." That made so much sense now, the pigtailed boy understood the repercussions of this change.

"B-But what can we do?. . .Ryoga is pushin' this wedding an' there's not much we can do. . ." Replied the boy confused. "There is something we can do. . .But we need to be sure of it." Both boy and girl bobbed knowing this was going to be hard. Ranma had finally been free and he had decided to care for the girl. . .But now. . .Now things began to change whether he wanted it or not.


	9. Chapter 9

**Somewhere in Africa. . .**

PUFF!. . .Came the sound scaring most of the animals surrounding the new environment they arrived in. Ono coughed loudly when some of the dust rose as he and the lost boy popped in the middle of the savanna, which incidentally was hundred of miles away from Japan. "I-I can't believe you are able to do this Ryoga-kun. . .How can you traverse from one point of a continent to the next in a matter of a few steps?"

The doctor deepened his breath by the rich scent of wild life once again, enjoying the look of dry pastures when suddenly he noticed no response from the boy traveling long distances in a matter of seconds. "Ryoga-kun?. . .Did you hear what I said?" He suddenly stared at a teen laying on the ground, hands grabbing his chest and with a face completely blue.

Ono rushed at his side, resting his ear on his upper torso and hearing no sound where a thumping heart should be pumping blood. "Damn it!. . .What happened!?" There wasn't much time left, forcing the practitioner to start massaging the area around his heart and pushing it up and down with his crossed hands.

After a while Ryoga reacted, raising to a sitting position and taking big whiffs of breath in and out. The doctor studied his case carefully, arriving to the conclusion that his incident wasn't a heart attack. "This has nothing to do with your heart. . .But a side effect from traveling through time isn't?"

Ryoga stared at him angrily, admitting with a nod he was right on the money. "I. . .I feel something cutting off my mind when I jump around, but I have no time to lose. That's why I need you doctor Tofu. . .Sometimes it's the heart and others my lungs or stomach."

A very peculiar set of dangerous symptoms thought the older boy, symptoms determining how close he was to the month closing in on him and it seemed the more effort he forced during his jumps, the attack would grow in danger as well. "I promise to stay at your side Ryoga, but if you get those health issues, we better stop using your power."

"I can't!" Defied the teen respectfully. "I must save Ranma and Nabiki from those collectors and who knows. . .Maybe Ranran can have a future after I'm gone." That reminded the man about the other boy traveling back through time with certain similarities to Ranma.

"Tell me Ryoga. . .How is it that Ranryu has many of your treats while the predominant genes belong to Ranma?" The boy's eyes grew in size, giving him at the same time a fit of coughs with the hope to miss this conversation. "I. . .I don't know what you're talking about Sensei. . ."

The older boy just stayed in place quietly and scanned the guilty stricken face the teen had for as long as he could hold this charade. After some silent treatment and the fact he hated to lie, Ryoga sighed defeated, admitting what he believed was the right answer. "Yes Ok!?. . .Ranryu is Ranma and my son, but it was a mistake I swear!. . .I took advantage of Ranma's weak state because Akane died, or so my older version told me. . .I will not dishonor him like that this time."

He preferred to leave that matter unattended, changing the subject as the piece of paper came up. "Anyway. . .We need to make sure the coordinates are right and we need to verify the mine. Let's go!" Ono knew he was stalling, but after all, this was his game after all.

When they arrived, a big and deep water cascade welcomed them with the fresh looking fluid falling all the way to the bottom. "I did it!. . .I knew I could pinpoint the location from before, but I didn't think it would be this close. . .Common!"

Both younger and older teens carefully threaded down the cliff, descending until they could see children playing in the water. "Oi!. . .Screamed the lost boy which was received with a wave of ovation like if they were relatives . "They seem happy to see you. . .Have you been here before?"

"Yes Sensei. . .This is the place where I found the pink gem and the uncut diamond I used to bail Ranma out." When the boys walked past the bushes, the wise man extended his arms, thanking the heavens the strange one was safe.

"Oh Strange one. . .You have blessed us with your company. Tell me. . .Was the elder in your village able to fix those dreams of yours?" Ryoga lowered his arms, chuckling nervously when he didn't want Tofu to know about that. "Y-Yes Sir. . .Everything is under control now, except. . ." He stayed quietly intent after the response.

How was he going to be able and explain he needed more treasure if he declared no intention to use it before? Ryoga swallowed nervously trying to find a way until the wise man's wife intervened in the welcoming.

"Ahh!. . .I see the strange one has made contact with his woman. And now he needs more clear rocks to help her predicament?" Ryoga could do nothing but nod puzzled by what she said. Ono was taken besides the shaman where they talked remedies and ingredients while the teen was taken into the storage room.

"Is this true strange one?" Asked the wise man intrigued about his feelings towards the redhead in his dreams. "Y-Yes elder. Ranma needs me to pay for an unfortunate debt beyond his possibilities. I know you could share the gems, but tell me what can I do to repay the favor and I will do so. . ."

The older couple went back to their native language, discussing about matters long past and a way to prove his integrity. After some deliberation, Both elders pointed high into the cliff, showing him how things worked since he had left.

"In your mind, you were right strange one. . .After you left, those men came, ravaged our food and houses and took all kind of treasures. . .Including our god. I believe you are here for a reason besides the girl in your dreams. . .You know what needs to be done."

Ryoga didn't need to hear it twice, asking at the old man to take care of his friend. After they agreed with the arrangements, Ryoga jumped besides the cascade, skipping rock after rock towards the river on top of the cliff. "Ok. . .Where to start. I am stuck unable to jump into another region so getting lost is not the problem, but I need to deal with those guys once and for all."

Again, after running towards the biggest building the boy got lost on his last trip, this time he arrived into the temple now mostly destroyed by the scavengers. The teen sensed something beyond the front of the place. . .A passageway of sorts and the stares in the distance.

He knew those men observed him from afar, waiting as if he would lead them into the secrets of the temple. Inadvertently, he felt the impulse to press his Bakusai-Tenketsu slightly on a pedestal by the main wall. The effect was immediate as a giant slab slid across and a tunnel began to lit on its own.

Ryoga walked the long and deep stairs made of stone towards what it looked like a chamber with masks and idols. The place looked ancient, and in the center of all the relics, another statue made him walk and stare in awe. "It's beautiful. . ." Said the boy when a dozen or so gems encrusted its face and body in such a manner, the reflection from the torches shone brightly around the place.

"But if this is what I'm supposed to take, why leave it behind instead of taking it with the other, simpler idol?" Wondered the fanged teen as he lifted the statue with no traps or poisonous arrows thrown at him. "Because only someone with a cause can take that. . ." Replied one of the men following the boy.

"We've been trying to find this chambers for months, and according to the legend those with connections with time can withstand its power. . .We tried and got zapped every time we came near that entrance, but thanks to you, we have what we came for. . .Hand it over or we will kill you this time."

Once again Ryoga knew these were mercenaries with no remorse for killing anyone who stand on their way. The boy repeated the same mistake again, tucking the idol under his shirt and pacing back against the wall. "I'm sorry. . .But this belongs to a friend of mine and I promised to deliver it."

The man clicked his tongue with frustration, waving a finger to his crew who began to raise their machine guns. "Guess you leave us no choice. . .A month ago you took a small idol from me. . .This time I will take what's mine "and" display your corpse everywhere."

As they aimed and their index finger were about to press the trigger, the boy shook his head sternly, finding no other way to solve this problem. "I guess there's no point arguing. . ." Ryoga hit the wall where a figure drawn on it warned of the dangers in the chamber.

Immediately the gate with the stairs leading out was sealed with the same giant slab, keeping the mercenaries and the teen trapped on the room. The open mouths in the statues opened and began to feed the chamber with scorpions while the light began to shut off.

"Imbecile!. . .You doomed us all!" Claimed the man who found no way out and dreading his ultimate demise. "Speak for yourself. You took what didn't belong to anyone else but those people and unlike you, I can leave this place unharmed."

When the teen said that and before the amazed looks from the other men, Ryoga jumped from relic to statue, reaching the ceiling and opening a hole with his technique. The escape exit was several feet high, and unable for the men to reach on their own.

"Hey!. . .You wouldn't leave us here to die now. . .Would you?" Demanded the man. "Swear not to harm the villages and leave peacefully this area and I promise not only saving you, but give you more than what you want. . ."

He kept staring at his crew, watching the horror in their faces as the enormous scorpions made their way towards them. "F-Fine!. . .Help us and I swear to leave them alone!" Ryoga vanished from the entrance by the ceiling, appearing again carrying a column several feet long and wide.

The boy tossed it, creating a bridge wide enough for the men to walk and escape safely. Then the teen stayed on place, pulling easily from each of the mercenaries as they climbed the column. When everyone was safe, the teen pushed the long rock formation into the chamber where the poisonous creatures were unable to reach the group.

As he turned around, the boss had a gun pointed on his face, ready to shoot. "Sorry kid. . .But mercenaries aren't good with honor bound promises." Ryoga chuckled by the menacing threat to hand over the statue, but the fact a man breaks a promise made him flare in anger, forcing out what he always kept deep in his soul.

"I hoped you wouldn't have to do this. . .I really didn't." The boss offered his open palm, waiting to receive the precious idol when the fanged boy masterfully held the gun with his hand still stuck in it. Two shots were fired in quick succession, dampening the silence of the room with loud bangs and annoying Ryoga a lot by the close smell of powder.

He just thought of Akane losing Ranma in prison to call forth his desire to protect those two under any circumstances, and by that power an enraged teen simply spat one of the bullets from his clenched teeth. CRACK! Was the next noise followed by the cries from the man. " Aah! Idiot!. . .How could you do that!?" Asked dizzily by the sudden surge of pain when his hand and the gun were crushed into pieces, making his threat meaningless.

The others turned to their weapons ready to empty them on the boy but he was faster, bending out of shape the machine guns while the men felt his furious anger seep into their fearful eyes. Ryoga went easy on the mercenaries, but the simple punches he pulled on the men were more than enough to take them down.

When they were all unconscious, the teen grabbed the boss from his shoulder, and the rest in a heap, leaving the temple behind. About an hour later he was already on the village, where the wise man, several others village elders and the tied up scavengers stared at the idol in the middle of the hut.

"Oh great Elek. . .God of death, harvest and time. . .Your servant has brought us back together, and he has presented us with the blight tormenting our people." The man saw the intent to kill from most villagers after they had ransacked their livelihood for no apparent reason but greed.

The old man asked once again to Ryoga about the man's demise, but he refused to answer, knowing his deep emotions were corrupting his judgment. Everyone saw how the teen turned around, stumbling with most furniture before succumbing to his wound.

"Ryoga!" Ono rushed at his side where the impact from the second bullet ran across his chest and lodged near the heart. "Why didn't you say anything. . .?" The teen ignored his questions, forcing himself up at the same time he reached for the opening on his chest.

Ryoga snarled loudly by the wincing pain, but at the same time his index and thumb fingers pushed beyond flesh and dripping blood, ignoring the delicate area on his chest and the main organ beating fast as he pulled the piece of metal angrily out. "I ain't got time for this. . .R-Ranma and Akane-san need me. . ." Finally he collapsed, dead tired by the loss of blood from the shot and the re-opening of some stabs on his back.

The fate the man had was postponed, leaving the elders to tend the boy in the brink of death. Elek, the god of the dead was set on top of his bed, hoping he could lead the boy back to the living. "We can only wait young one. . .You and I have medical training, but he ails not from the body, but the soul.

Ono agreed with the old man, staying on the side of the bed until Ryoga could heal his aching mind instead of the threatening wounds in his body. "Thanks elder. . .He is confused in so many ways, I feel sorry for him, but this is a journey he needs to take alone.

In the darkness of a place he had seen before, the fanged teen saw nothing but fog and a shadow far in the distance. "_Hey!. . .Who are you?_" Asked with a tinge of curiosity. "_Who do you think I am. We've met before and after all we've been through, you still fight me off. . .Why_?"

The shadow started to take shapes. . .The shapes of a man he considers a loving father and husband. "_You!. . .You are what's wrong with my life. You married Ranma and made me care for Ranran and Kara. Why shouldn't I fight you?_"

"_Maybe because for what you long?. . .You and I know depression has taken a toll in our minds. We consider ourselves loveless. . .Worthless and with no future but to die alone. But I learned and "she" taught me to love myself. . .Why do you fight that?_"

The boy couldn't keep his tears from flowing, feeling the empty emotion to be alone in this world. "_Because no one cares for me!. . .I am lost not only in this world, but the girl who I believed to be my only salvation saw nothing but the pig in me. . .And so did Akane._ . ."

The man walked closer to the boy who kept rubbing his eyes with a sleeve. "_And you think she will love you again?. . .Is that the reason you asked Nabiki to contact Akari and Anna?. . .So they can use the love for the pig, or the misplaced admiration of a non existent hero and save you from being erased?_"

"_No Ryoga. . .We have someone who cares for who we are, and she has demonstrated it in more than one occasion. Go to her and work your problems. . .Remember, I am not able to cross time like we are doing now in your dreams. This is a shared lapse of time we are having, but I don't think it can be repeated._" Said the old man as a last explanation.

The man started to walk away when Ryoga screamed at him. "_You know why I can't give that burden to Ranma. He is kind, I like him and he does like me. . .But he is a man, and I will not disrespect my friend by treating him like something he is not!_"

The man ignored his pleas. . .Walking away as his last words told the boy a hidden truth. "_You don't know that until he tells you otherwise. Think about it._ . ." When he vanished, the boy woke from his deep induced sleep. His jump made Ono startle by the surprise, but what made him yell at him was when he started to get dressed.

"Ryoga. . .You are in no condition to move. . .Stop!. . .What do you think you're doing!?" The teen apologized, but still dressed over the bloodied wounds and carefully walked towards the next hut where the prisoner waited his punishment. When he went in, the man tilted his head wondering about his state. "I thought you would be dead by now."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I can't die until I fulfill a promise. Tell me. . .Why do you want the idol?" The mercenary explained the high price for the statue by private collectors. He promised to deliver what others couldn't, and in the process, that oath made him do terrible things to his fellow human beings.

"I ain't proud of what I am, but following a promise blindly has taken me to where I am today. . ." His confession sounded more like a desperate cry of help, but what could Ryoga said when he was falling as well into the deep end by a promise he didn't know was right at this point.

"They will decide what to do with you, but I see this isn't your fault. After all, if you die here, those collectors will hire someone else. . .I'll talk to the chief about it." Before he could leave though, the man tug a smile at the teen.

"I see in your eyes the same dilemma I have over promises. . .I will abide to mine, I hope you will do the same with yours." Ryoga tried to answer truthfully, but he preferred to ignore his comment while walking towards the wise man's house.

"Um. . .May I come in?" Asked the boy respectfully. When the man let him in, both began to talk about the mercenary and his punishment. "I think you should leave him to the local authorities. They can prosecute him and those who employed him for this act."

The idea was great, and after sending word to the local police, the elder knew the problems could be handled better that way. "Tell me strange one, what have you decided about the girl in your dreams?" The fanged boy clenched his teeth in desperation, admitting if only to himself how everyone wanted them to be together despite what Ranma represented for him.

"I told you already old man. I don't have a problem with Ranma because he is a guy! And not the "girl" you talk so much about." He was enraged at this point, showing how confused and upset he had become from his feelings for the redheaded girl, and heaving loudly from his blood stained chest. "Besides that. . .Why would you decorate the small statues with gems if you don't even care for such things"

"Oh strange one. . .Remember when I told you about that tribesman giving shape to the stones? Well he was the one making those offerings at our gods. However, this is the time of action young one. . .Your friend will stay with us for tonight, but I'm afraid your journey will take you to other lands."

The old man was right in that aspect, giving Ryoga and Ono a day to rest before embarking on the next set of coordinates. When the day gave pass to the night, Ryoga contemplated the brightly lit fire in the center of the village, mesmerized by the kids playing with their parents.

Some of the kids caught his attention when thanks to that strange link he had with his future self, images about Ranryu started to leak through. He saw his boy at the early age of five playing with his mother. The redhead looked so happy and complacent with the life she had, Ryoga was sure Ranma didn't care to be a man at all.

Then, out of no where the little boy sneaked under a desk jokingly, but inadvertently for the mother. A few more minutes later a twenty something year old Ryoga arrived home, accepting the redhead's arms while the hidden child couldn't be found in the room. Both young parents searched all over, leaving the desk as the last part where he could be hidden.

When the Ryoga from the future lifted the piece of furniture, there he was. . .Laying on the floor asleep while an unopened bottle and several pills were spread around his little body. In Ryoga's dreams, he could feel the desperation from the young parents trying to revive Ranryu from one of Akane's medicine left behind.

They rushed at the door and left towards the new hospital afraid that their son wouldn't make it when he stopped breathing. Hours passed, but the child was Ok. . .There was a machine pumping his tiny tummy off, but after some discomfort and a few days later, the boy was able to return home. Ryoga saw how difficulties like those made their marriage a strong bond leaving aside other aspects as individuals. A tear began to run on his cheek without him noticing it.

"Ryoga-kun?. . .Are you Ok?" Asked the doctor concerned by his well being when the same tear ran on his real face as well. The teen cleaned his face, blinking a few times to make it look like it was some dirt flying around. "I don't know Sensei, I am doing what I think is right because I promised it and because I know Ranma more than he knows himself."

He started to feel vulnerable, letting his heart open and confide with Ono what he saw in the future. "Is not that I don't care for Ranma, but he was devastated when Akane-san died, and when he saw me dying almost at the same time, he accepted me as a couple."

"I feel bad. . .Like if I forced him to change with the alternative of my demise hanging on his mind and I don't want that. . .I want him to be happy, and now that Akane is alive, there is no other option." The doctor agreed this looked bleak for his future, but reminded him of how change affects us all.

"Just be truthful Ryoga-kun. If what you say is true, love can conquer all even through time." After Ono left a rather dry advice behind, the fanged teen could do nothing more but stay awake on his bed, leaving his mind more confused and wondering if he should go on with the plan or fight for that beautiful redhead hidden in Akane's fiance.

"I can't fight for Ranma when Akane is here. He is my friend and they love each other. . .What I need to do is hurry up, get all the money ready and marry Akari or Anna, that should solve my problems." Argued triumphantly by his logic. After a while the teen slipped back on his bed, ignoring the nagging sensation to re-evaluate his decision and trying to enjoy another sleepless rest possibly visited by more wise people, but nothing happened the rest of the night.

The next day became so agitated when his backpack bulged with several gems and uncut diamonds of all sizes and colors. "Are you sure we can take all this?" Asked bewildered Ryoga by the amount of precious stones thrown into the bag. "Oh strange one, we do not care for any of it, and I'm sure you have plenty of use for those rocks. . .Just remember. . .Use them for the happiness of those around you."

Ono and Ryoga walked out of the village, watching how a council between several villages talked for a united city among the indigenous people. "Ok Sensei. . .Are you ready to jump to the next coordinates?" Ono hesitated for a moment, watching how the back of Ryoga's shirt started to bleed through.

"I don't think you are in a condition to travel Ryoga-kun. . .Not only did you get shot on the chest last night, but the wounds from the prison break haven't healed completely." The boy noted his worry, feeling the stinging sensation of the stitches forcing his skin apart.

"I know Sensei, but I must save my friends no matter what, and I know I can hold off for a few more days without collapsing." Ono kept shaking his head, but after his stubbornness begged him to go on, he preferred to instigate him less and instead supporting his decision.

"Fine. . .Where is the next location?" Asked the boy with a stern look. "It's not far from here. . .About six or seven hundred miles, but first we need to look for a city where they have phones and a bank to deposit all this. Something else too. . .I need you to tell Ranryu about the money saved in the banks and the several herbs we have gathered so far."

The plan was set, giving the man in glasses the chance to lead the way while Ryoga ran close behind. The good thing about carrying your personal doctor and master of his own martial art style was the speed and strength he had to keep up with the teen.

Dr. Tofu not only matched his speed while running towards the next city, but both could skip great distances by jumping on rocks, trees or from cliffs. When they arrived to a rather rustic town, they were greeted into a saloon where the proprietary had a very old, but working phone line.

"Hello?. . .Ranryu-kun. Yes, this is Dr. Ono Tofu. . .I'm with Ryoga at the moment and he wants me to tell you about several accounts on your name for anything you might need. Also. . .The two hundred herbs we need for the two cures are been gathered so far, and he has sixty-four of the rarest and most expensive ones already. He is sending them to the Tendo residence. . .Don't tell Ranma yet, but start working on the cures. Yes. . .I will take care of him and we should be back in roughly three more weeks. Yes. . .in about a month since we left the prison. Ok. . .Take care you too. . .Bye."

The man hanged the old, dusty phone and went to the front side of the establishment where he met Ryoga buying a bottle of the strongest liquor. They ate something, paid and left for the next location. "Say Ryoga. . .What's with the hard liquor?"

The teen shrugged his shoulders, explaining how he always fixed himself when stranded and then he poured half a bottle on the wounds from his back. The stinging sensation was harsh, but after a moment it went away, leaving behind a better sensation.

"You don't need that now, that's why I'm here. . .Besides, look!. . .All the bandages are damp. You will get infections from that." Irritated, the doctor sat him on a bench, forcing his shirt off and beginning to re-bandage from scratch.

"You need to be more careful if you want to get old you know?" His comment was more like a joke, but it gave the boy a sense of dread he hadn't thought about it before. "And what if I don't make it Sensei. I think I have all solved with Akari or Anna, but what if they don't feel the same way?"

"If in a month from now I can't get someone to love me, there will be no old days. . .Hell, there will be no future for me at all. Maybe. . .M-Maybe that's for the best I guess." Ono tried to cheer him up, and although his last defeated words were understandable when coming from a boy whose life has been filled with depression, he knew deep down we all have a sense for survival.

"Cheer up Ryoga. . .Even if you don't have other girls, I'm sure Akane's love as a sister can be enough. . .And who knows, m-maybe even Ran. . ." He wanted to push a bit farther the possibility after what he saw in Ranryu, but the fanged boy refused before he even finished the sentence.

"No!. . .There is no Ranma in this. He is my friend and I won't disrespect him. . .Don't you see Sensei. He might have a curse and act girlish sometimes, but always. . .Every single time I deal with him, the male Ranma is constantly present in either form."

"No. He is not a female trapped in a double gendered body, but a proud male and I won't take that away with my petty needs." The boy thanked him for re-adjusting a new set of dry bandages offering a smile and a slight, respectful bow but negating any chance to reciprocate with his feelings between the pigtailed teen and him.

"Let's go Sensei. . .We still have another twelve locations to visit and we are almost there." Ono sighed with certain doubt in his mind. His young companion had his priorities set, but what of Ranma. . .He noted the changes the pigtailed boy was going through hardly make him a straight male anymore. He managed to treat him until Akane worsened, but Ranma had transformed into something the boy had no idea how to handle.

"Let's go Ryoga. . .Just point and I will take us there." With nothing more to say, both males sped down the road, winning the amazed looks from the town's folk by the speed they were taking. After an hour through the dry, African wilderness Ono found the coordinates right next to a mountain.

The place looked deserted enough, giving them plenty of time to get with the job. As they walked through the plains, many encampments flourished near lakes and excavated sites around the country. Some eager men would see the two fast moving, yet young men rushing aimlessly and would offer work in exchange for a bit of money.

Others. . .The paramilitary groups, would enslave or force youngsters for the same purpose, but Ryoga had no time to deal with them now, not to mention start a war he could not confront at the moment. However, every time they were asked about their business, the lost boy and his companion would simply attribute his journey as an adventure.

"Ok Ryoga. . .Ranryu-kun mentioned how in the future it was found an enormous deposit of kimberlitic ore and lamproites in this area. He knew those were the deposits Diamonds are extracted from, but no one really cared in those times when synthetic gems worked better, and the stones were buried deep into the earth."

After his expert appraisal of the situation, the most obvious question remained on the air until Ono asked it first. "So?" Inquired a bit puzzled the doctor. "How do you propose to take them out with no equipment or trucks that can move the ground around?" Ryoga simply shrugged his shoulders, asked for more details about the place and after Ono directed him what way to go, the fanged teen bared his fangs defiantly at the dirt.

"Bakusai-Tenketsu!" Commanded the boy as he excavated deep into the ground faster than any excavator or industrial machine could do. "_Keep thinking on the gems. . .Focus on their breaking point in comparison with the ground_."

The tunnel was a simple task and his thoughts seemed to work when he felt the hardness of the crust several miles underneath break apart, and give pass to the precious stones. It was like picking apples from a tree, but instead of lifting his hands, Ryoga would bury them, pick a handful of dirt and shove it on his back pack.

It took him a few tries and fewer minutes by the oxygen becoming thin and extinct at those levels. Ono peeked now and then into the giant hole, expecting to see a boy gasping for air and empty handed. He was right on the need to get air, but as his muddied hands reached the surface, he noted the empty backpack they brought as an extra load was filled with the soil.

When he sorted among the dirt, it was there. He couldn't believe it, but several pounds of clear rocks in all shapes mingled with tiny rocks and dirt, giving a smudged look on their clarity. "I don't know how you did it, but these are diamonds."

Ryoga fell in a thud near the hole, admitting how he learned to distinguish a gem from rocks and debris, but his lack for oxygen still wouldn't go away. The doctor realized his wounds were exposed during the excavation, forcing the teen to lay on the floor while he applied alcohol on his bleeding cuts.

"Ouch!. . .Damn it!" Kept Ryoga growling when the stinging sensation and the pain was unbearable. Dr. Tofu had seen patients complaining in the past, but to see a teenage boy in such state after the same wounds would open time and time again, made him feel sorry for his friend.

"You sure are putting a lot of effort Ryoga-kun. Maybe we can rest for now and start tomorrow again?" The boy accepted the idea until a pigtailed boy trapped with dozens of lustful men made him click his tongue in shame.

"I-I wish Sensei." declared determined the teen. "But if I don't do this right, Ranma could be sent back to prison. I can't let that happen even if it kills me." With his resolve firmly renewed, Ryoga asked the doctor for extra bandages and the overall he kept on the pack.

It was the tough blue denim overall miners use and he thought that would help for his needs. "This should be enough to protect me during the excavations. . .Here I go again." Said as he plunged himself into the darkness of the makeshift tunnel.

"Don't worry Ryoga. . .I'll be here every step of the way." Reaffirmed Ono while he started to separate and wash the diamonds. This time he lasted a lot longer, worrying the practitioner until fifteen minutes later the boy appeared with the bag full of gems and dark sludge.

"I couldn't distinguish at. . .A-At some point, but I found really strange ones." The older boy revised the pack, finding dozens of diamonds with colors ranging from bright yellow to green. Some shaped in a cushion like form while others more like pear-shaped, but their size were as big as his open palm.

"We still need to cut them but I believe you stumbled with the big deposit Ranryu described on the notes. Rest now Ryoga. . .Let me take care of the rest and I'll wake you up when you're ready." This time the boy fell on the ground, refusing to make camp or even unfold the sleeping bag. Ono smiled at his effort, making sure he should report this to the Tendos when the time would come.

* * *

**Nerima. . .**

Back on the house, things weren't any easier for Ranma and Akane. They were alone, looking down at the floor and wondering what the other was about to say even when they knew it already. "Ranma. . .You know what I feel for you is more powerful than anything I've felt for anyone else."

The boy swallowed nervously, nodding ever so slightly when he agreed on his part as well. "I may not be able ta say it like that 'kane, but. . .You know 'bout me too, right?" The girl chuckled, amazed by how open was Ranryu compared to his hardheaded mother.

"I know. . .But we need to be sure about this. Ranryu is. . .I don't know. . .Like you but different. He strikes me as a good guy and is so kind and polite every time we talk. . I guess. . .I-I guess I like him a lot as well."

The Saotome heir raised a brow by her statement, wondering just how much of a feeling she could have after the few days they were together. "Honestly though. How can you be so sure about him?"

The Tendo's youngest reserved a look of doubt at first towards the boy, but if this was supposed to be the moment of truth, everything had to be on the open. "Well. . .Because." She swallowed nervously, hesitant of what had happened to her during the convalescing hours of her illness.

Ranma waited patiently for the answer and his eyes bulged open when the explanation was a lot harder to understand. "Because I dreamed about him and my children." Akane refused to stare at his questioning blue eyes at first, but she wanted him to see this wasn't an isolated incident for the girl.

"Y-You mean. . .You "think" you saw Ranryu in a dream right?" Explained the boy with interest to see how she could answer that. After all, he was almost every step of the way caring for a terminal patient who did nothing but sleep and slowly die.

"No Ranma. I may be dying all this time, but I recall those dreams so vividly." She Asked him one thing though. If those were the dreams of a delirious teen at the brink of extinction then why would she marry to a total stranger, have three children with him and enjoy Ranma's thirtieth anniversary with Ryoga as his husband.

"I clearly saw Ranryu and I celebrating your thirty years of being married to Ryoga-kun at our house. You can call it hallucinations if you will. . .I did too until I saw your son treating me a few days ago. Ranma. I saw Karen, your daughter as well and I saw how happy you two get along."

The raven haired girl sighed in peace when the memories from things not yet set on stone made her feel proud for a family she adored. "You and I loved each other dearly, mostly as mothers and wives but our feelings are there. I could always feel them regardless of what title we had in that future."

Ranma found the explanation acceptable and at the same time challenging. "I can see you'll love him 'kane, but what 'bout me!. . .I know I got feelings for him more than friend, but livin' as a wife and a mother is just beyond me."

That declaration made Akane wonder as well, turning the tables on the boy and pushing him where he dared not to go. "So!. . .You like him, like him. . .Like a friend?" The pigtaield boy knew where she was headed, and accepting his indulging questions answered, he opted to be truthful as well.

"Yes Akane. I-I. . .I can' say the "L" word when it comes to what I feel, an' that goes for Ryoga too, but this ain't no loyalty 'cuse he is my friend only." He sighed tensely, knowing what he was about to say would make him look weak, but he didn't care anymore.

"I'm 'bout ta say somethin' only ta you Ok?" Akane quietly waited for his confession, thinking this was his moment of truth, and the boy didn't disappoint. "Remember that date when he took you to the boats an' I pretended ta be his fiancée?"

How could Akane forget all the trouble they went through, but there was something hidden she was never able to tell until now. "Ryoga always loved you like I do Akane, an' in that time "I" managed ta stir that feeling he had for you towards me."

"I told him about his secret curse an' that I had no problem with it. The point is." He dreaded seeing straight at her eyes, glancing instead to the floor ashamed. "When I was in prison, I was so tired and helpless. . .Akane. I prayed for Ryoga ta save me. I begged him an' wished to see him before I would be taken by all those men."

"You could say he made me doubt my love for you for only a fraction of a second just like I did to him." He was incredibly flushed, hoping for the ground to open and swallow him whole, but instead a hand tenderly lifted his aching eyes, giving the boy the much needed redemption he searched for so long.

"Than you love him just as much as I love you. Keep that Ranma and work on Ryoga-kun because unlike Ranryu, your husband has a lot of baggage to be solved with your help." The pigtaield teen rolled his eyes, agreeing in that point with the girl, and accepting she was just on the same ship.

"Don' count yourself safe 'kane. You don' love Ranryu an' that's something you'll need to work from now on." Both teens accepted their breakup as part of a personal sacrifice, admitting they would still be together at some level despite of being separate spouses.

In the end, the pigtailed boy understood what she tried to say, agreeing that his future son was the perfect match for the girl, and Ryoga fitted perfectly for him. "Well, we can always try, but what should I do with that idiot?. . .It ain't like I can convince him we can be a couple."

Akane knew that was something too hard for Ranma to deal with alone, leaving only one option left. "That's why you and I are going to find out how does Ryoga-kun feels by him exposing it openly." With that bold statement, the girl grabbed Ranma's hand, guiding him outside the room and right into the next one.

"Ok. . .You go first and break the ice from man to man, then I'll go in and we can discuss how you two became so close in the future." Ranma nodded once, giving timid knocks on the door, but receiving no answer back.

When he turned the knob and stepped in, the place was dark and empty. The Saotome heir scanned the several mounds of clothes, the bedrolls and in the far corner against the wall, a boy with his retracted knees and his head resting on top of them riddled with hiccups and crying painfully.

"H-Hey. . .Can I come in?" Asked the pigtailed teen a bit flustered, but there was no response again, so he went in anyway. Akane waited at the door, but kept it almost closed, showing only her face in the threshold. Ranma cautiously walked at Ranryu's side, noting his swollen eyes and how he kept looking away.

"What is it man?. . .Why are you so sad?" Ranma felt strange trying to comfort him, but suddenly the pigtailed boy turned around and stared away from him in a very uncomfortable manner. "That's what's wrong Ranma. . .I. . .I-I miss you, but not really you. . .I miss "her". . ."

Ranma felt a pang on his chest, deciding to do something so crazy, he couldn't believe his mind. The teen stepped out of the room, went to the bath and splashed himself, turning into the redhead. When she went back, a bewildered Ranryu stared at Ranma with eyes so glassy, she trembled a bit when she sat at his side.

He waited no longer, lunging at her with a hug and resting his head on her chest. "Sorry mom!. . .I tried to endure. I wanted to be strong like you taught me, but is hard. . .I won't ever see you again. . ." His tears made Ranma powerless and weak all over her body, giving him the need to pat the top of his head, and forgetting how close they were while an embracing feeling she hadn't experienced before began to seep in her mind.

"T-There, there. . .I am here aren' I?. . .Just relax an' calm down." Her words were like music to the teen who seemed to relax by the soothing way she talked until Ranma's body stiffened, forcing the boy to compose himself and move back against the wall.

"Thanks mom. . .I know your not used to let another boy hug you. I'll promise this won't happen again." He moved into his original position, letting the girl rest from the tension. "It ain't like that man. . .After all, you are my son, that much we can see. . .But how did it happen? I mean. . .Ryoga is nice an' I like him, but a lover he ain't an' for me ta love another guy is just impossible." The boy laughed this time, cleaning the tears away at the same time certain memories kept flooding in.

"You always say that mom. Even when I was in the future with you two, pops always treated you like a guy, and you loved it. . .We were like three friends hanging out all the time until. . ." Again he went silent, forcing his eyes clear from renewed tears swelling up by blinking rapidly hoping not to cry again.

"What is it?. . .What makes you so unhappy?" Asked genuinely the redhead. "You, pops and me were always inseparable. That is, until Karen was born. . .That's when you changed into a more girlish way." This time Ranma blinked disconcerted, turning to see Akane who was already in the room and seating by the bedrolls.

"Karen?. . .That precious little girl I dreamed about and who loves you so much?" The boy stared at the youngest Tendo, smiling at her presence when the image of a tomboyish twelve year old made him sigh depressingly. "Yes Akane, she is my little sister. . .She is twelve and amazingly strong for her age."

"When she was born, pops loved her immensely, heck. . .I love her like no other person in this world except dad and mom of course, but you mom. . .You got all righteous and decided to become a full woman for her sake. Something about little girls and female role models."

Ranma understood why she could have changed at that time, but still, the boy didn't explain how all this started. "Wow. . .First I know I got a son with Ryoga, an' now I got a daughter. . .Tell me. How did we hook up?"

The boy thought about it for some time, but he was so afraid it wouldn't work if he talked, finding silence the best bet for now. "I-I can't tell you mom. . .You need to see how far pops goes to keep you safe, then. . .You will understand how much he loves you even though he denies it vehemently."

"Fair enough. . .Can you tell me a bit more about yourself then?" Inquired the shorter girl to the teen. "It all started when I was five. Well. . .I'm sure there are many memories you could relate with pops about my birth, but when I was five I found some pills Akane had to use during chemotherapy."

"I pretty much ingested almost all of them and was rushed into the hospital. Pops and you were so worried, and I could see your faces through the window, it broke my heart, but here I am and you two became the best of couples.

"Then things got really ugly when I was ten." Ranma and Akane saw how truthful the boy talked about his life, always remarking how amazing Ranma was as a woman and a mother, not to mention how loving Ryoga acted towards her.

"Did you ate somethin' else at ten?" Joked the girl, but despite the shove on her ribs by the raven haired teen, Ranryu chuckled by the mention. "Actually no mom. . .At ten prince Saffron came and kidnapped me, something about taking revenge for what you did to him."

"I was taken to a city on top of a mountain, and I remained there until you and dad came for me. Pops seethed, taking everything apart, but the funniest of things happened when they met that winged guy." The two girls were glued to the story, pushing ever so slightly for the boy to keep explaining.

"Pops was there, ready to kill that prince, and you were behind. . .Like an obedient wife or something. The point is that pops declined the challenge, praising your ability to fight and trusting your judgment as a martial artist.

"You fought him instead of dad and won, but what always stays in my mind, is the way pops sees you." The boy searched in Ranma's eyes, hoping to show her how honest he tried to be. "Pops worships you like a goddess. To him, you are not a woman, or a man. . .You are his salvation and it pains me to see him so vulnerable and weak now." He bared his teeth, clenching them with anger when both images collided in his head.

"He became so strict and harsh during all my life, and I never understood why. Now I know. . .He's been so afraid to disrespect you as a man that he is even working hard to make you happy now and through all these years." Ranma started to see a pattern as well.

She scolded him once on the roof when the boy acted as if no love or person cared what would happen to him. As they got along, a connection formed and the pigtailed teen realized Ryoga not only was weak because of the depression, but he saw him like the only friend capable to love each other, but he rejected the idea thanks to how Ranma was raised.

"I-I know Ranran. . .He is a stubborn mule even now, an' despite all the times I've told him we care for him, he still thinks his unworthy. . ." The redhead tried to open up and be more honest with those strange feelings, but if there was one thing she learned as a boy, was to keep them inside at all times.

When she looked up, the boy stared strangely at her, making the girl blush by the intense stare. "Um. . .What?" The boy shook his head trying to clear the tone resonating in his mind, but his tears and his hand grabbing Ranma's chin were hard to put away.

"S-Sorry, but that's how you called me in my time. . .Ranran is how my mother calls me all the time." Finished as he covered his tearing eyes with his arm. "D-Damn it. . .I don' know if I'll hate this, but I don' care!" Shouted the redhead before jumping on the boy, embracing him and brushing his hair with the individual stroking of her fingers.

"Shush Ranran. . .I am here baby. . ." Akane couldn't believe what she was seeing, but there was a glow around Ranma. . .Like if he wasn't the person holding the boy. "Um. . .Mrs. Hibiki ?" Asked timidly the girl and to her surprise the redhead smiled, answering her questioning looks.

"Bingo!. . .Glad to see you again 'kane. . ." After a moment later the glow left, but not before Ranma assured her boy everything would be Ok. When it dissipated, the real redhead blinked at the position she was in, but never moved, led by the motherly feeling to care for her boy.

"Thanks mom. . .You've been with me all the time. I was bullied when little and you fought kids, their moms and dads. . .Pops was hard on me and you would beat the crap out of him next. . .I really appreciate all the things you've done for me and I want you to know I will make you proud."

Akane couldn't contain her tears now, rushing at their side and making the embrace wider. "Hey. . .I'm alive remember?. . .Don't leave me behind." All three teens stayed glued for a good half an hour before they moved apart.

At this point Ranma cleared a tear or two, admitting even he was entitled to an occasional cry. All three laughed and before they left the room, the boy felt the need to come clean with the redheaded teen. "M-Mom?. . .I got something to tell you. . ."

Ranma and Akane waited for some kind of surprise, and it really was a big one. The boy closed his eyes, concentrated, and he changed into a blond girl with green eyes. When she opened them again, a tinge of red ran across her face.

"Me and Kara can change at will, but pops don't want us to do it. . .Are. . .Are you angry?" Ranma was speechless, but a laugh adorned her features with clear jealousy. "Man. . .I wish I had that power. ." It was just a rhetorical comment, but the surprises kept coming.

"You can mom. . .Pops found the cure for the curses and your other problem long ago. In fact, pops is working right now gathering all the ingredients to work on the potions." At this point Ranma felt the need to ask about her future self, wondering why didn't she used both.

"You refused mom. . .You took the vials and broke them in front of dad saying you knew who you were and no magic could change who you became." His looks of pride made Ranma feel so empowered, forgetting for a moment the real weak boy hiding behind his manhood and appraise his future decision to become who he wanted to be all along.

"He is right Ranma. . .Think about it. Ryoga accepts you for who you are, you have two wonderful children too. . .There's no need to be cured when you become female on either side." Akane made a lot sense to the redhead who started to see the truth.

"Your right. . .Ryoga does care 'bout me, but then why is he so stubborn trying ta you an' I together?" The blond looked to the side, feeling ashamed for what her father told her long ago. "He was dying mom. . .His depression reached new levels and in his moment of misery, hatred led him to take his own life back then, but survived. That's when he swore to make you and Akane the happiest of married couples, no matter the consequences."

That was the problem with the lost boy, both teens agreed. Ranma mentioned how a few years ago, Ryoga got into his head to act as a pet, babysitting their children like a good and obedient house trained animal. "He even teamed up with Mousse because the idiot makes worlds that don' exist in his nogging."

"Not only that mom." Warned the boy. "I shouldn't say this, but dad left Nabiki instructions to find Akari Unryu and Anna brown as his aces in case he doesn't get loved in thirty-eight days." He knew this would betray his father, but things began to look up for him and his mother.

Akane was the one who caught on first, raising a brow as she asked him for more details. "Wait a minute. . .Why would he rush those girls in thirty-eight days?" Ranma got the jest too, crossing her arms in a waiting position.

The boy hoped not to say anything more, but that look made him recall his mother was one of a kind. "Ranran! . . .Your wife asked you a question. . .Well?" She acted so demanding and authoritarian, the boy swallowed nervously by the impression.

"Mom. . .When pops moves through time, he has thirty-eight days to adapt in his original timeline, otherwise. . ." He looked at each of the girls, trying to make this the most important part. "Otherwise he will cease to exist and die immediately."

Everything made so much sense now. Akane as usual was the first in piecing it all together. "That's how you two fell in love Ranma. . .You must've lost me and when Ryoga-kun started to die it brought you two closer."

Ranma studied every step of the explanation, accepting something so powerful would take apart any prejudice she might have over being a male. "B-But what do I do now?. . .You're alive an' I don' think that idiot would listen to reason. Besides. . .What can I do against Akari an' that other girl?"

"I am not really sure mom. If anything, I think you should be with Akane, but. . ." His eyes darted to where the girl sat, forcing them down a second later when his feelings didn't count in this situation. The problem though, was the talk Ranma and Akane had before coming into his room.

"I know you love her Ranran. . .An' believe me, I'm Ok with it." The boy from the future stared puzzled at his mother, wondering why would she give her up. "But. . .We came to save her so you two can be happy" Ranma shrugged her shoulders, admitting that was the intended plan until now.

"Are you crazy?. . .Who would marry a tomboy like her? Not me that's for sure." Akane heard the same song, but she knew the way Ranma used those words were to make them soft and nice. "And you think I would marry a boy who likes to dress in pink, frilly dresses?. . .No. I prefer someone kinder and polite. . .Like you"

Ranryu began to understand the type of relationship they had, based on the opposite responses to what they felt for each other. "I see. . .Well, thank you Akane-Chan." For the first time Ranma felt like the third wheel, sensing the need to get up and leave them alone when the boy grabbed her from the wrist. "Don't go mom. . .Look, I know you try your best to suppress what you feel for Akane. Let me leave and you two can go back to the way things were."

The redhead patted his back, smiling at the same time she talked honestly. "Look man. I know you are my son, but if I think about Ryoga's possible death because no one cares for him, that should go for you too. You love Akane an' she has feelings for you. You don' think I would let you die if no one loves you, do you?"

Ranryu noticed her mom caught on quickly, understanding what was going to happen to his father and him. The blond girl bowed a little bit, kissing the redhead on the head and hugging her tiny body. "T-Thanks mom. . .I know this is hard for you, but I really thank you."

Ranma left them alone while she went outside. . .Skipping over the roof where her own mind had an argument of sorts with herself. "_I can' believe I'm thinkin' on that moron. Yes, he saved me from prison and keeps looking for ways to make me happy, but I ain't no girl. . .I was born a boy, grew as a boy too. . .No one can' expect me ta give all that for another boy._"

She stayed the rest of the night contemplating the moon, wondering if she could actually take the role of a woman in a family, but her mind kept drawing blanks. Sure, it's so easy to dress up and flirt with guys. . .Take their hard earned money in a form of food or treats, heck even Ryoga treated her so respectfully until she would take the disguise off at the end of the charade.

As she dosed off, a voice asked her what was the problem. "_My problem?. . .My problem is that I am a guy. How can I be a mother or a wife if I can' even deal with that fact._" The voice sounded almost like hers, but a bit older.

"_An' you think I am a good mother or a wife?. . .I am the still stubborn, hard headed woman now, than when I was you!. Is not 'bout growing up or changing for the one you love, but workin' with the person who gives his life for you in the end, an' adapt at the situation._"

The younger Ranma tilted her head in her mind, recognizing the voice as her older self from the future. "_Fine. . .If you're so wise tell me. When he went all the way and got you pregnant with Ranran. . .Did you still feel like a man among men_?"

The voice acquired a form. . An older redheaded woman walking in her direction. "_I did. . .In fact we fought for the right to be on top of the other. I won by the way, an' before you go all "it don' matter 'cuse he went all the way" well, he didn't_."

"_We took a procedure where his little boys were inserted in me. There was no "all the way" an' he was Ok with that. . .In fact, he encouraged me ta do it that way._" The younger redhead thought carefully at the description, realizing one thing evading the older woman's mind.

"_So. you're still a virgin_?" The woman laughed, explaining that during birth she had to expulse the baby naturally. "_Let's just say no man has "intervened" down there. . .Well, at least not when Ranran was born_." Immediately the younger Ranma remembered Karen, her second child.

_"You mean you let him go when Karen was born_?" The woman cleared her throat a bit flustered by the way her younger self put it. "_W-Well yes. . .The second time it took us a long and tired argument about my pride and honor. . .Argument that I won by the way_."

"_Ryoga still fought fearfully about my manhood, but I am beyond that. . .I love him and he has proven me his love and respect as a man. Ranma. . .I am you, but I am the Ranma I want to be an' not the male or female person others want me to become_."

It sounded strange, but it made some sense when genders would confuse the younger teen about who she really was. "_I pressed him to go all the way an' I don' regret the experience, you know. It was hard as hell, but now. . .Now I'm pregnant again for a third time an' we both are the happiest couple ever._"

_"I know. . .It's going to be hell for you to understand this in that time, but what worries me the most is Ryoga. Ranma. . .He has a deep problem with depression to a point where he tried to kill himself several times. I not only became his wife an' friend, but I am the only person keeping him from going insane._"

"_Now that Akane is alive, I don't know how different that Ryoga will be. The only advice I have for you is. . .Do your best if you decide to love him. He needs you a lot more than you think._" The cold of the night began to seep on the girl trembling body, forcing her to end her slumber when her skin started to crawl.

"Ah man. . .I better go ta my room before I get sick." As she left, the words from her other version stayed in her mind, working round and around into a way to accept Ryoga and more importantly how to make him understand each other.

The rest of the night ended in a few hours. Still as a redhead, Ranma woke up by the smell of breakfast and hot tea. The pigtailed girl decided to get up and walk stairs down not because of the food this time though, but for all the racket going on the kitchen.

"Oh, thank you!. . .It's been so long since I've seen Ryoga-kun, I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see me." Said one voice while the other had a rare accent. . .Like those people you hear in the old west movies from America.

"I reckon it's going to be awesome to see him too!. . .Joe saved us from many threats in the past, and grandpa has heard many good deeds from him wherever we go. It's going to be great seeing how's he doing now." The redhead quietly paced through the fly of stairs, noting Akane, Nabiki and Soun Tendo smiling and chatting with two girls.

One, she already met a few years ago when she tried to engage her to Ryoga, but the other one although very pretty, looked more like a cowgirl than a Japanese citizen. "Oh Ranma!. . .Would you like some breakfast?. . .Please, come and sit right next to me." Invited cheerfully Kasumi

The redhead walked by, bowing respectfully and greeting the guests as she made her way to the table. "Oh Ranma-san. . .I haven't seen you in a while, how's your engagement with Akane-Chan?. You know, it's nice to know you almost married once, I wish I could do the same with Ryoga soon as well." Said nonchalantly the sumo pig trainer.

"E-Excuse me?. . .I taught I was invited to meet Joe so we could announce our own union?" Asked a bit irritated the brown haired girl. "Now, now girls. . .Is very impolite fighting and bickering when you are guests in my house."

The girls immediately apologized to Soun who acted so wisely, but their eyes stayed connected, turning them only to make fake, smiley faces while eating, but going back to throwing daggers at each other. "I-I see Ryoga invited you here. . .Any reason why would he do that?" Wondered Ranma out loud even though she knew what was the purpose.

"I'm sure it has to be because he misses home. When he is with me I love him like a pig. . .Treat him and serve him like a pig, and best of all. . .Every single time he's with me, the little piglet is king around the house." Proudly goaded the girl with sly looks.

"Y-You mean, you care for Ryoga an' treat him like a king when he's a man?" Asked a bit confused the redhead, trying to clear the girl's explanation. "N-No. . .I transform him into his real form and let him roam everywhere as he wishes. . .Isn't his transformation so beautiful?"

All the girls sweat dropped by the description. Even Ranma found terrible for a girl to be so infatuated with pigs, let alone force the poor boy to be loved as one. "You mean, you treat my Joe like a pig?" Jumped Anna now angrier than before.

The pig trainer stood up as well, ready to defend what she believed it was real love. "Yes!. . .Why not?. Pigs are amazing. They are majestic creatures and my Ryoga is able to be one half the time, That!. . .Is why I love him the most."

Akane realized at this point something she hadn't in a long time. The raven haired teen turned to see Ranma, asking the pigtailed girl if she as P-Chan's owner treated Ryoga in the same manner. The redhead just nodded unreservedly, admitting most of the time she saw more P-Chan than the boy who tried to be more for her.

"Akane. . .H-He. . .He had feelings for you an' tried desperately to tell you, that's why I would always mess with him, well. . .You know how. But I guess he finally gave up an' moved on, but his depression grew even more by his loneliness."

The youngest Tendo looked pale all of a sudden, understanding everything from the date on the horror house, to the gifts and souvenirs he brought her from all over the world which were meant to woo her. "P-Poor Ryoga-kun. I-I never saw him as a prospect, thinking he could be like my best friend. . .What have I done?"

Her tears began to form on the corner of the eyes, but Ranma grabbed her shoulder, reaffirming the best part of the problem. "Don' sweat it 'Kane. . .He has moved on an' loves you like a sister. He told me once. . .I guess that's why he wants us to be happy so hard in his heart."

Both teens smiled after it made a lot of sense, but the problem was still very much present when the indignant guests threw daggers at the pair as well. "Y-You played with his heart trying to keep him away from your fiancée wasn't it?" Asked this time infuriated Akari.

Ranma and Akane had never seen the sweetest girl angry, and she looked pissed like if someone messed with her property. Anna was puzzled by all this, wondering how the redhead was a good enemy for the love of the lost boy between Akane and Akari, but wondering why would this female Ranma acted like in love with another girl.

Finally it dawned, forcing the cowgirl to stand up again and challenge the pigtailed openly. "So it's true. . .My Joe has a curse and you are really a guy!." The redhead didn't realize she didn't know until now, staring at two angry girls ready to take the house apart.

For the second time in her life, Ranma felt so inadequate to deal with this. First, she was lost in the hormonal problems of her curse over the male part, and by default, completely useless as a fighter when all those men tried to abuse her body.

And now, a confused redhead tried to find a way to send these two away, deciding to love Ryoga and not caring she was a boy, and finally let go. . .Truly let go of her love for Akane after all the painstaking days caring for the sick girl.

"I. . .I-I. . ." But nothing else came out, leaving her out of the play and letting Akane know she was no help at all. The youngest Tendo stared at the angry girls, waiting for an explanation which made her fall back by the pressure, fainting and dropping to the floor unconscious.

"Akane!. . ." Came the shout from upstairs as the new boy remained hidden from the visitors. Ranryu rushed at her side just as Ranma caught her before Akane could hit herself with something. "I believe it's time for you to calm down. . .Please, as we arranged it, Miss Unryu will stay with Kasumi-Chan. . .Miss Brown, with Nabiki."

The patriarch's voice was strong and loud, giving the girls no other choice but to leave to their respective rooms where their roommates awaited them. Ranryu carried Akane back to her bedroom while Ranma followed right behind. When the redhead searched if the girl was fine, Akane peeked one eye open, using her orb to search the place. "Are we safe now?" Both teens had their mouths hanging open, noticing she was faking the faint.

"Well, what else did you expect me to do!?. . .You were frozen by the situation, with no way how to defuse those two. . .Tell me Ranma. . .What's really bugging you?" The redhead sighed defeated, realizing this was the best moment to deal with her own doubts.

"Well, you see. . ."


	10. Chapter 10

Ranma kept pacing from side to side, looking over her shoulder at her son who stared puzzled by his mom's sudden nervousness. "Mom. .If you want to talk with Akane alone I can leave." The redhead felt a pang of shame when he asked, but she was more afraid for his feelings to be hurt than Ranma's fears for obvious reasons.

"Just for a moment Ranran, Ok?" The boy bobbed his head respectfully, leaving the two girls on the room and going after more pressing matters. Akane scanned her trembling eyes dancing at the pace of her lower lip, giving her the idea of how difficult this was for the boy inside of her.

"Your not entirely sure about Ryoga aren't you?" Ranma gaped when her ex had nailed the problem right in the center, avoiding embarrassing moments trying to explain what she felt. "How can I!?. . .I am a boy 'Kane, an' that's not goin' ta change any time soon. I know, I know he saved me from those bastards, an' his money will keep me away from prison."

Her stare felt so empty, almost like the days he spent behind bars. . .Right before he would freeze and his eyes would go gray. "I like him alright?. . .I really like him, an' if I was a girl I would jump over him, but I ain't!. . .I can' act like everything is fine an' we'll be happily ever after."

"Fine!" Responded Akane with a smidge of poison on the word. "I'll tell Ranryu that you and I are getting back together and that he can look for someone else." As she aimed for the door, a hand grabbed her wrist, pulling a bit harshly away from the entrance.

"Are you crazy!?. . .I will not let my son die a horrible death. . .I mean, if your Ok with it, stay with him." Akane snarled at her words, twirling around and shoving the redhead against the wall. "And you prefer to see Ryoga consumed by who knows what!?. . .I never thought you were this cold."

But it wasn't it. The youngest Tendo knew what really happened here, but she made a promise during those chats she had with the time traveler to not interfere for more than Ranma could handle. "L-Look. . .I know there's something else bothering you, and I promise when the right time comes, I will explain everything, but Right now Ryoga needs you. . .Or."

The pigtailed girl had her eyes hidden with the fringe of hair dropping over her forehead, growing a slight swollen vein on the side when indeed, something else besides leaving Ryoga hanging was killing her inside. "I don' want him to die. . .I would never let him do that. . .I. . .I don' know what ta do." Akane could see the reluctance in her body when Ranma's closed fists gripped the sides of her pants and her open mouth showed how clenched her teeth were.

With some patience, the raven haired teen approached a tensely redhead, grabbing her shoulder as she whispered into her ear. "F-Fine. . .Let Akari stay at his side. . .Maybe she could. . ." Ranma peeked behind her bangs, showing this time her fangs with a clear fit of anger.

"An' let that moron treat Ryoga like a pig the rest of his life!?. . .Never!" Akane blinked at the sudden reaction, deciding to test the waters ahead from Ranma's little outburst. "Fine. . .I'm sure Anna Brown will be as faithful with him, not to mention how in love she looks."

The youngest Tendo started for the door again, and again, the redhead stopped her on her tracks. "Y-You can'!. . .W-What if they hit it off?. . .He could like her back an' who knows, maybe they would fall in love!" Ranma's hands were tightly gripped to the other girl, asking with timid looks what was going on in her mind.

"Gee Ranma. . .I think what you really are is jealous of Ryoga despite your fight over your manhood." The declaration again hit the mark, forcing the redhead to rest on the wall, sliding slowly to the floor and moving her bent knees toward her chest.

"W-What if I am?. . .This is a really hard choice ta take an' I don' want ta mess it up." Declared firmly the girl. "And have poor Ryoga die while you decide what to do!? No Ranma. . .Ryoga-kun needs to know what will it happen."

Ranma looked to the side this time, hugging her retracted legs and resting her head on top. "That ain't all. . .I still want ta know 'bout. . ." Her eyes said the rest, gaining a deep sigh of defeat from the other girl. "Fine. . .I will tell you why I chose Ranryu over you."

"Because that's the real problem is it?. . .You don't understand how would I accept him right away after all we've been through. I already explained the dreams and my feelings towards him, but I guess you want more" She moved from a standing position and at her side, starting to play with her thumbs when this confession wasn't supposed to be revealed.

"Ranma. Imagine if I could take the best parts from you. . .Your manliness and bravado for example, now think for moment if I could do the same from Ryoga-kun. . .His sweet demeanor and worry over others. Now think what would be the result if you combined both."

The redhead chuckled by the idea, arriving to the same point Akane tried to make. "It would be Ranran of course. . .After all, he is our son." The other teen smiled at the conclusion, admitting it sounded so true. "I know that makes me shallow and selfish, but that's not all."

Akane surrounded Ranma with her arm, closing her lips to the redhead's ear and whispered the most terrible of news she could have heard so far. "Ranma. . .I am not cured yet. The cancer is still in me but dormant. . .Ran-kun is still giving me his blood once a day, but it's random."

"So you see. . .I like him a lot, he is a combination of the best two males in this world and without him everyday, I surely get worse again and die." Said at the same time her head rested on Ranma's own. The pigtailed teen gaped at the idea, realizing Akane was, in a way, sacrificing just like everyone else.

"I-I see. . .I can' believe I got so jealous of you, Ryoga an' even my son. What the hell is wrong with me?" Akane laughed goodheartedly, agreeing that's why women are more feminine than men. "Welcome to womanhood Ranma-Chan"

The title made the redhead wince, but at this point she started to understand how a real girl felt with matters of the heart. "Well that sucks big time. . ." Both teens agreed, leaving the doubts behind and looking for a better way to solve Ranma's immediate problems

When the two girls talked about alternatives, a knock came from the door which the youngest Tendo answered promptly. "Akane. . .I tried not to eavesdrop but you know me. I may have a solution for all of Ranma's problems."

The teen let Nabiki enter, closing the door behind and securing it with the lock. Ranma had been waiting for an opportunity to deal with her, but at this point, the redhead was once again in a disadvantage. "What do you want Nabiki. . ."

"A way to give you time and fix those two from marrying Ryoga-kun." Replied the ice queen nonchalantly. Ranma and Akane raised a brow simultaneously, admitting the girl was good with plans, but at what price would she cooperate.

"An' what's in it for you?" Asked the redhead distrusting her methods. "Nothing. . ." She had a big and almost genuine smile adorning her features, making her demeanor look a lot creepier than usual. Ranma raised her brow again, wondering what would really be the pay, but after a while Nabiki shrugged carelessly, offering her open hand to seal the deal.

"So?. . .Are you in or not?" Taking a deep breath, the pigtailed teen knew she would regret this one day, but time was of the essence, shaking her hand and forgetting the consequences for later. Nabiki waited no longer, leaving the puzzled pair as she made her way to a bag in her bedroom, retrieving its contents and then walking down the stairs.

Ranma and Akane followed from a distance, noting how the girl skipped happily on her way down. When they peeked towards the living room, their eyes almost fell from their sockets when Nabiki pulled from the bag several white cards. "Dear Akari and Anna, My name is Nabiki Tendo and I'm Akane's older sister."

"Now. . .On with my business. This are the invitations with your names and date for the nuptial union between Ranma Saotome and Ryoga Hibiki. They consider you a very important part in their lives and that's why they invited you personally here."

The redhead tried to run and stop the insane girl, but Akane stopped her before she even left her side. "What are you doin'. . .They'll think we are some kind of perverts" Reprimanded Ranma with clenched teeth at her ex.

"Precisely Ranma. . .What better plan to keep them away but to make them think Ryoga and you are perverts. If you decide to leave Ryoga-kun alone, I'll personally go and apologize to them but so far, Nee-chan's plan is foolproof. . .So far." Said sternly the blue haired teen. The redhead felt bad for pushing Akane in that manner, specially when something deep inside her mind kept telling the girl it wasn't as bad as her ego claimed it to be.

The first one in standing enraged was the cowgirl, realizing two boys loving each other was beyond perversion while Akari found the union Ok, but rejected the idea to leave. "I won't move from here until Ryoga-kun tells me straight what you say is true."

The middle Tendo smiled, agreeing with the girl and asking her to wait on the living room. After the pig trainer waited patiently, Nabiki rushed upstairs, pulling Ranma with her. "Do you want her to leave?. . .Go and dress with the white piece Akane bought you when you lost your memory.

Ranma tried to stall, wondering if she had a say in all this, but apparently not when Akane took her into the bathroom, helped her change and shoved the pretty redhead down the fly of stairs. "Oh!. . .Here comes the bride practicing for the wedding. . .Care to join us?. We are going shopping for the dress. . ."

Akari felt the pressure too strong, staring at the blushing redheaded girl trying to act naturally, but the pig trainer admitted with a blush on her face how Ranma really looked beautiful in white. Akari understood she didn't have a chance against someone that cute, finding no other option, but starting to leave them behind. As she did though, the girl pointed a finger at Ranma, warning the bride of a small detail she forgot about all this. "Tell me Ranma-kun. What makes you so special if I love him as a pig. . .Isn't the same way for a boy loving another boy?"

She didn't expect an answer, leaving after she closed the main door with force. "There. . .Your competitors are gone and you have long enough to decide about Ryoga-kun. My business here are concluded." Nabiki vanished from the house, rushing to town where her plans kept enrolling more unsuspecting innocents.

"I don' know why, but I have a feelin' in the back of my head that this is goin' ta backfire on us. . .You think it was Ok to trust in her?" Akane shrugged madly, turning around and starting to leave, faking anger and hoping Ranma would consider Ryoga's predicament. "What should I care. . .You prefer to let Ryoga sink than to think on all the sacrifices he is doing for the both of us." The girl left to her room, where she expected to see a confused redhead follow her behind.

And it did, Ranma felt strange when sudden outbursts of anger and mood swings were the order of the day for women all over the place. Still, a reflection of her body against a big mirror on the living room told her she was a pretty girl after all, admitting that maybe. . .Just maybe she could be a real girl. "This could work. . .I only need ta throw everythin' I know 'bout being male out of my life. . ."

The girl deflated afterward, slouching back to the bathroom to change back and hope her apology could tame Akane's rage. Ranma once again in male form . .Or whatever was left of it, knocked on Akane's door, receiving no answer from the other side though.

"C'mon 'kane. . .It ain't like I want Ryoga to suffer. Why can' you understand how I feel." He had never recurred to such girlish statement, figuring it was the hormones acting up again, but were they? Akane was never the first one in acting so prudent, and all the sacrifices Ryoga had done weren't supposed to be in vein.

But if that was the case, why did she find so hard to let go of who he was. "I am stuck alright?. . .I want ta be a man like pops trained me, but I want ta experience all the nice things Ranran told me 'bout my future self. . .I am so stuck an' I need someone else ta help me."

Finally the pigtailed boy dropped his head on the door, giving up with the solution. A few seconds later the door slid open, letting the sad stare of those brown eyes peek through. "C'mon Ranma. . .You need to see this." The door opened and closed, leaving the pair to resolve a new situation brewing outside.

Ranma tilted his head puzzled by the way his ex looked through the window though. "Look. . .What I want to know is. . ." He tried to keep going, but the raven haired teen hushed him up, asking him to join her by the window.

Outside was Ranryu talking with someone. The couple in the bedroom carefully opened the window, letting the conversation filter through. Ranryu was talking with no other than Genma who finally showed his true colors after he found out all the mess his son was in.

" Look son. . .I don' know if you're M'boy son or not, I don' care really, but he was born a man. .. I made sure to raise him a man, an' if that moron tries to change him, there will be blood you hear?" Ranryu wasn't impressed at all, walking in circles around the older man and studying his stance.

"I get it now. Since I can remember I always asked mom why I never get to be with you or grandma. . .And now I know why." The teen walked closer to the man, forcing his stance to go wild and defiant. "Back off kid. . .I don' want ta hurt you. . ."

Ranma tried to intercede, but Akane stopped him from jumping in. "Wait. . .First let him deal with this on his own Ranma." The boy felt the need to protect him, but he decided to wait until Ranran would really need his help. Down on the grass, both fighters measured each other, trying to find their hidden strengths, and openings.

"Grandpa Ryota and Grandma Karen always were there when they could, but you. . .You were always humiliating mom and pops every single day. . .Even when pops defeated you and broke the seppuku pledge you were nothing but a coward and a thief."

"Hell, dad even made you into the greatest teacher to walk the world with the idea to promote the Anything goes style internationally. . .But in the end, he banished you from our home. I always wondered why. . .Demanding how harsh he was for kicking my grandfather out."

The boy stared at the old man who never let his guard down. Still, Ranryu got even closer, doing nothing but bow respectfully at him. "I loved you for the longest time grandpa. . .You were my hero and I worshiped you until the day you left." He then looked to the side, wondering how a little child thinks the world about a parent figure, but don't realize what prompted to that final decision, sending that love away with the man. "I hated pops for doing that, but as I grew up, I saw what you did to mom." At this point his enraged features were now at full display, walking back to his post before starting the fight.

"I will go easy on you grandpa, but since I'm a new man in this time. . ." He extended his arm, pointing his finger exactly at his face. "I. . .Ranryu Hibiki, challenge you for the title of master in the Anything goes style. . ."

Genma grinned doubtful by his stories, spitting to the side while his ego started to inflate. "I don' know what have I done to your mother son. . .But M'boy is a man, an' if you know better, I'd say you should stand down."

Ranma felt that strange vibe again, perceiving the faint voice of herself through time. "_Don't let him hurt my baby Ranma. . .I may be stuck here, but no matter what, he will always be my son_." The pigtailed teen recognized the tone, coming from herself about seventeen years into the future.

With some reservation, the teen stayed glued to the window, wondering why he felt the need to protect someone who in this time wasn't even a relative. "_You know I will. I don' know if it's you or my hormones, but I love him like a son an' I would never let anyone hurt him_."

"_Thank you_" Said the voice with a loving way all mothers talk about their children. "_I know this confuses you, but I promise not ta interfere with your life. again . ._" The boy heard nothing more, realizing this was a special case she managed to do by sheer need alone.

Ranma recalled Ranryu's words after the talk with his future self, opening a slew of thoughts he hadn't consider yet. "_Pops disrespected me?. . .I totally forget what my parents would think if they see me as a girl in love with another man_." The declaration felt like a way to escape Ranma's problems, but no. . .It actually enhanced his resolve.

"_Mom still roams the lands thinkin' his son is so manly, an' the first moment I see her what do I do?. . Change into Ranko and hide my problems like a coward. I don' know how I turned the way I am in the future, but I ain' leavin' this for later. . .Soon, I will have ta deal with Ryoga as well, an' there's nothin' stopping that from happenin_'. . ."

"_Ta be a mother and a faithful wife are problems I'm goin' ta have ta fix on my own. . .For now, I got to work on that idiot savin' my hide an' my son, not ta mention Akane's own illness_. . ._Then everythin' else comes later_" He bit his lower lip, recognizing this was becoming too much for a single human being to bear, regardless of gender.

By then, neither fighter backed away from the challenge, and after a few seconds studying each other, Genma and Ranryu took a step forward, vanishing into thin air. Ranma could feel both of them, which gave him the edge to know what was going on.

"What happened Ranma. . .Where are they?" Asked Akane confused. "They are usin' the Umisen-ken. . .I can' believe it, but Ranran is much more faster and stronger than pops." The pigtailed teen moved his eyes from side to side, lifting his head every now and then when their fight took off into the air.

His eyes bulged in awe when Ranryu managed to stay hidden not only from his father, but he allowed himself been attuned to Ranma's sight, like if he wanted the pigtailed boy to see him. "He is showin' me what he knows. . .Amazin'!. . ."

"How is he doin' it?" Kept wondering the pigtailed teen. "He is using the chestnut roasted on an open fire mixed with the Bakusai-Tenketsu. Imagine Akane. . .hundred of punches with the force Ryoga has to break rocks." As he said that, Genma's glasses and both pair of wooden shoes flew into pieces the raven haired girl managed to see drop on the grass.

"That has ta be the strongest of techniques ever. . .Imagine a warrior capable to disarm a sword into pieces by his mere touch. . .Or an armor. . .Or a weapon of any kind!" Akane could do nothing more than laugh, noting how Ranma acted so proud over a boy he had never trained in his whole life.

"Well. . .He is Ryoga and your son, did you expect anything less?" The question lit brightly in Ranma's mind, forcing to recognize the good things he would achieve in such union. "I-I never thought 'bout that. . .Ranran told us Ryoga trained him really hard in the future. Maybe he knew M'boy was going to challenge pops. . .Maybe he wants me ta see the fruit of our efforts. . ."

This was a surprise Ranma didn't expect at all. He was more than a man or a woman. . .His father raised him to be a martial artist, and that's what Ranryu had become. . .The greatest martial artist both him and Ryoga created from scratch.

"I think I get it Akane. . .All of this is a means ta an end, an' that end are my children. Ryoga from the future is showin' me I became what my pops wanted for me in this time an' failed, but we succeeded. . .I brought a little man into this world an' turned him into a master of the Anything goes martial style." His smile grew big and proud, watching how the boy evaded his father's every attempt to reach him.

Ranryu would peek every now and then towards the pigtailed boy, as if waiting for his blessing as master. That made the male Ranma swell in his heart, unknowingly letting the tears flow freely. Akane saw something she had never seen before. . .Ranma Saotome crying openly for the first time.

But the pigtailed teen didn't even registered the tears. He just smiled at his son and nodded proudly, watching Ranryu combine a lot more moves. . .The secret ninja moves Genma was so famous for, and speeding up his motions up to the point where the bald man misstep sent him sprawling out of his more outdated Umisen-ken.

To Akane, there were no sounds of punches or kicks, still, there wasn't complete silence when stepping on grass made the pair a lot louder. Suddenly both fighters appeared. Ranryu somewhat taken by the sheer amount of power the older man could dish out, but Genma was breathing harder than he expected, clearly demonstrating who would be the winner after he tumbled on the ground, standing up forcefully a few seconds later.

"You are good son . . .I'll give you that." He was out of breath, admitting the boy as a stronger opponent. Still, something else bother him the most, deciding to find out how he had done it. "But. . .Who taught you how to combine the Saotome Special ninja attacks with the Umisen-ken? Not even Ranma knows how to unlock such devastating combos yet. . .An' those other techniques. I have only seen them in. . ." The boy smirked at the man, clearing his lungs and starting to dance like a boxer.

"You did grandpa. . .When I was eight years old I got into your special satchel. . .The one you had hidden deep in your backpack. I roamed around, found the scrolls and hid them from you as a souvenir." Genma gasped when no one knew about the satchel he so secretively hid long ago.

"About the other moves." He glanced up, towards the boy hanging from the window. "My mother and father trained me since I was five years old. They taught me everything a true master must obey. . .Justice, honor and protection of the weak."

"But my mom. . .She deserves my gratitude because she taught me to be me. . .Not the prideful grandson of a fool who wanted all in exchange of nothing, but a human being capable to love no matter what he looks like or how he feels."

Those words hit hard in Ranma's head, admitting the older Ryoga had more in mind than just show him his handy work. "That damn idiot thinks is so smart. . .I will get him sooner or later." Chewed Ranma with clenched teeth when Ranryu's words aimed at his own mental problems.

"S-So. . .You really are my grandson an' Ryoga's son?" Ranryu nodded, admitting this would be a nice re-encounter he hoped for the longest time. When the younger fighter walked closer to the man, dropping his guard and opening his arms to hold him, the bald master used the back of his hand to slap him so hard, the teen tumbled away from him.

"Don' think that means somethin' ta me. You are a child brought from perverted parents after all. I may have sold M'boy for all the "right" reasons, but I would never marry him to another man. . .That's just pathetic." As he said that, the older man walked away, ignoring the challenge or the boy who found hard to believe his grandfather was this ruthless.

The pigtailed boy seethed from the window, disobeying his ex and skipping from the sill to the ground. "Ranran!. . ." The boy rushed at his side, noticing how Ranryu looked to the side ashamed, showing him an enormous swollen cheek hiding his bruised feelings. "Sorry mom. . .I let my guard down and failed the fight."

"Damn it son. . .It ain't nothing like that. Pops will always be like this, an' I swear I'll deal with him soon enough. . .In the meantime we need ta be ready for Ryoga, there's still three weeks left but I'm thinking they will go faster once pop got the jest of what's going on."

The pigtailed teen lifted Ranryu almost carrying him like a little child. The traveler noted how careful and dedicated Ranma acted despite he being male at the time. "M-Mom?" Asked the smacked boy. "Yeah son?" Answered Ranma worried by his father's lack of understanding.

"Thanks for always taking care of me. . .No matter how you look or what you think of yourself. You are my mother and nothing can change that." It finally dawned on the pigtailed teen how close they were and how he started to believe being a mother goes beyond genders or prejudices.

"Good. . .Because once we fix all this mess, you an' I are goin' ta kick the old man's butt." Both laughed at the comment, walking into the house where Akane waited with alcohol and swabs. It stung a bit when Akane swapped the swabs with gausses and band aids, but to see her determination to care gave Ranryu the impulse to grab her hand, exchange looks with the girl and slowly close his lips with hers.

Ranma watched from afar two lovers kissing, forcing a tear back into his eye and tugging a smile up for the girl he always loved. When they separated, Akane blushed but her face lit with the pride to be at Ranryu's side. She knew Ranma stared from a distance, and hoped he would be Ok with the arrangement.

The pigtailed boy simply shrugged, walking back to the teens and acting smugly proud to have his son and his now best friend together as a couple. "I'm glad. . .I really am, but what 'bout Ryoga?. . .How can I convince him of my feelings even when I'm not sure I want ta be a woman for him?"

All three talked the rest of the week about alternatives, failing time after time until one afternoon Kasumi answered a desperate call. "Ranryu-kun!. . .Ono is on the phone!" The boy just bandaged his arm after the daily transfusion, leaving Akane fixing hers and Ranma keeping company, and running out of the bedroom in a hurry.

"Ono?. . .I thought Nabiki mentioned Tofu Sensei left with pops after he saved mom from prison?" Akane started to piece the parts omitted by Ranryu and her big sister, gathering that the call came from Ryoga's state of health.

The raven haired girl made sure there was no dizzy spells or fainting sensations before walking out of the room followed by a pensive Ranma. When they arrived down stairs, Kasumi had her hands together and in front of her lips. . .Not a very good sign in Akane's mind.

"Yes Sensei. . .How's pop?. No!. . .He already is at that stage?. . .But he still has two weeks, how can he vanish like that. I see. . .Yes. . .I promise mom won't know a thing about it. . .Ok. . .Keep me informed." The boy hanged the phone, turning around and meeting a pigtailed boy with his brows kneaded, arms closely tied on his chest and expecting an explanation from the call.

"Oh!. . .I thought you were upstairs mom. . .Um. . .See ya!" Said the teen rushing towards the back door when Ranma managed to grab him from the shirt, pinning him against the wall. Ranryu saw something he hadn't seen in a long time. . .His mother incredibly mad and expecting the truth no matter the consequences.

"I'm sure my stance means somethin' ta you son, 'cuse those eyes tell me you are afraid of me. Now. . .What's goin' on with your dad?" His blue eyes always disarmed his intentions, just in the same way Ranma always had an advantage with Ryoga.

"Mom. . .I don't want to worry you. Why don't we just. . ." But there were no more stalling lies when the Saotome heir reached for the vase with some flowers by the table, splashing himself and turning into a redheaed girl with fiery blue eyes melting her son into putty.

"Again. . .What's goin' on with your dad?" This time the figure of a tiny but very powerful redheaded woman made him look down nervously and blush by her penetrating eyes. "Ono Sensei reported me they are three-quarters from completing the debt. . ."

Ranma bent down, forcing his eyes up with her powerful blue orbs, and made him understand to him and the rest of the family whether she was in the future or in the present, Ranma would always be Ranma. "An'. . .?" The boy couldn't fight her now, releasing a sigh he didn't know it was stuck in his throat. "A-And that some parts of his body are vanishing. . .He said sometimes is his heart and others his hands, leaving pops into an agonizing mess."

The image alone made Ranma and Akane swallow by the effort the lost boy made for their sakes, forcing the girls to look ashamed to the floor. The redhead let the boy go, walking instead to the living room where she still needed to find a way to gain Ryoga's affection.

As Akane followed her, the redhead found no other choice but to force her decision regardless if it was the right thing to do. "I can' wait Akane. . .That idiot is vanishing away for my sake an' that should be enough for me to accept him. . ."

But there were still reserved thoughts in her mind, after all, a man among men would never give birth to a son. They decided to stop falling in the same hole and wait to see how Ryoga would react to all this first. "We should be able to clear things up once he's here Ranma." Finally replied Akane releasing a deep breath of relief.

Away from the house, Nabiki implemented the second part of her master plan. She elaborated this scheme almost since Ryoga jumped to the future, but as the girl's cogs kept moving in her mind, the reasons and results started to grow exponentially.

**Ucchan's. . .**

Knock, Knock. . .Came the sound on a door a few blocks away from the Tendo's. After a girl fixed some chairs and the sounds of shuffling stuff away died, Ukyo opened the door, admitting the girl who always brought her news for a price.

"Come in Nabiki. . .Would you like something or this is strictly business?" The ice queen as usual asked for the most expensive dish on the house, free of course, and proceeded to state her deals. "I know you and Shampoo have been. . .Um. . .How to say this delicately. . .Thrown aside like old rags?"

It stung really bad, but the middle of the Tendo sisters was right. Ukyo managed to visit Akane in what it looked like her last days on earth, but what she never considered was the blind obedience her Ran-Chan lived by in those days thus, rejecting any advance the chef could do for their relationship.

Same went for Shampoo who thanks to a mindless promise the pigtailed boy did with Mousse, the Saotome heir swore never to look for Shampoo or let her amorous intents close to him ever again. "Fine. . .You got your laughs. Tell me. . .What is so important for you to come here and offer me something I may not be able to claim?"

When the Okonomiyaki chef stopped talking Nabiki barely finished with her expensive food, moving back on the chair and restarting the trade. "I have a piece of information that will take you to heaven. Of course, I will offer the same thing to Shampoo, but for the first time in my life. . .I will give you this Intel absolutely free."

The chef crossed her arms at chest level, admitting the news could be worth it, but to be given freely, and by Nabiki no less, was something more than unbelievable. . .It was dangerous. "Really sugar. . .What's in it for you?"

"That's for me to know and for either you or Shampoo to never find out. Now. . .Do we have a deal or not." The cook retracted her hand a bit intimated by the offer, but in the last second she shook it, trusting the reward could be better than the risk.

**Somewhere away from Japan. . .**

Back on the mountains the things couldn't get any better. . .Or worst depending on the point of view. Ryoga was becoming more adapted to the use of his techniques, finding the diamonds more easily and separating other useless junk aside.

Darkness meant nothing for his senses, and his lungs began to get used to the depth he was working on. When he would go out of the holes, time seemed to hold still, giving him a great sight of the fauna out there and a nice afternoon where he and Ono enjoyed a nice meal and rest.

"According to my calculations and the report the bank in Nerima said last, we should be close now Ryoga-kun. . .Shouldn't we take it easy now that we are almost done?" The boy shook his head, admitting his fears to bad luck and sudden changes in his life governed most of his choices.

"I can't lose it now Sensei. . .I prefer to have extra than to run in the last moment trying to find the amount those bastards are impugning on Ranma." The doctor saw his point, but there was something else peeking in Ryoga's eyes. A feeling of loyalty. . .Maybe even affection for the pigtailed teen he didn't show before.

"You really love Akane and Ranma don't you?" The lost boy winced when the older boy added Ranma in the comment, but he let it pass, accepting their friendship was one of a kind. "I love Akane very much Sensei. . .Ranma?. . .Well, he is a stubborn idiot. But in the end he's always nicer and a good friend."

Yup, the young man could see something the younger teen denied firmly, but his demeanor couldn't. As they had a nice dinner composed of several ramen cups, a military looking truck approached their camp. When they arrived, the men looked somewhat friendly until their guns appeared from the back of the vehicle.

"Hey!. . .What are you doing here?" The rough guy in charge waited for Ono to respond, leaving Ryoga like the minor pest of the two. "We are studying the animal species and researching for special herbs." Ono trustingly walked towards the man, showing a permit from the government about his skills as a doctor.

"I see. . .Any luck finding anything. . .Say. . .Underground?" The accusation was daring, but after the man explained how a patrol he left for the surrounding areas saw Ryoga going into a hole, the look of they being naturalists didn't bode so well.

"Some are deep into the earth and others aren't. . .Why the sudden curiosity about two men packing only medical instruments and sleeping bags?" The man stared at the big pack, noting several smaller packs lying around on the floor which had that look of lab pouches.

"We are just protecting out investments. . .Carry on, but if we see any type of excavation equipment or machinery of any kind, we are coming back." The armed men went back to their truck, driving off unaware of the goodies Ryoga had unearthed recently.

"I should have just beat them up and get this over with." Admitted defiantly the lost boy. "And then what?. . .Start a war between mercenaries and possibly cause the death of their workers?. . .No Ryoga. . .Sometimes is better to lie than to cause more struggles."

The teen thought about it for a second, agreeing with the man as they made way to the nearest town. "I guess you're right Sensei. . .Sometimes is better to lie than to cause a lot more struggle. . ." Ono realized he used his words out of context, trying to solve his own doubts about a certain pigtailed boy and the strange feelings teenagers are so prone to experiment now days.

When they arrived to the town, another lesson ensued in Ryoga's path. He always acted like the homeless boy no one really gave a damn about, but the moment a ragged and dusty boy would walk into the Inn, people started to welcome him with all manner of treats and respect.

"Um. . .Why are they so nice Sensei?" The doctor smiled when he admitted how innocent Ryoga really were. "They are nice because this is a prospector's town Ryoga. They see you dirty, walking with a big pack and with hunger hanging from our necks, and they can only see easy money." And that was reality. Both Ono and the fanged boy sat on a table which was filled with a bottle and two glasses. .Complements of the house supposedly.

"I think they'll expect a big tip after so much attention." Warned the practitioner. The younger teen shrugged carelessly, dropping three small diamonds on the table he had stuck in his pants. "Would this be enough?"

Ono immediately took the gems away, hiding them from prying eyes and shaking his head negatively. "Ryoga!" Demanded with clenched teeth. "You can't be this naïve. . .People have eyes everywhere and sooner or later we'll get more ruffians like the mercenaries from the mountains sniffing around and causing trouble. . .Please be more assertive and know how to deal with a situation like this one."

Ryoga didn't get it right away, until he turned to see several men gossiping and pointing at their table. He was no stranger to fights or bullies, but why make a big deal where the Inn's owner or other patrons could get hurt.

"I-I see Sensei. . .Sorry." Said the boy a bit flustered. "Tell you what Ryoga. Let me get us a room and we can relax while we stay here." Ono left him alone for just a moment, walking towards the reception and talking with the man in charge. That's when a rough looking stranger approached the boy who stared dumbly at the walls and nice decorations.

"Is what I saw, really what I saw?" Asked redundantly the bearded man. Ryoga blinked by the strange way he talked. . .Almost like a foreign cowboy like the ones he met in certain regions of America. "I reckon, those were pretty nice diamonds sparkling on the table, partner?"

"W-What if they were. . .?" Asked Ryoga still not understanding what was with all the fuss. "Care to tell little 'ol me where you get that son?" The fanged teen started to think like Ono, studying the lust for riches in the man's eyes and finding his insistence a bit asphyxiating.

"Look. . .Partner. . .We are just traveling in peace. So. . .Leave me alone or. . ." Still, as Ryoga tried to politely ask him to leave, the man chuckled at the idea, pulling a gun from his hidden holster and showing it right on Ryoga's face, trying to scare him.

Before he could do anything else, the boy grabbed him from his holding hand, leaving the man blinking by the speed, but more importantly disarmed from his weapon in a matter of seconds. "I don't like to be threatened, so. If you leave now, this won't get out of hand." Warned the teen with a serious look on his face.

The bearded man stayed in place, waiting for something to happen, but Ryoga had no idea what until another man showed between the two. "Alright Jimmy. . .I'll take it from here." The guard stared indignant at his boss, accepting his job to care for his safety was done for now.

"Young man. . .Could you please give the gun to my friend. . .I promise you, I have the best of intentions." Ryoga shrugged again, knowing they weren't really a threat, and giving the weapon back. As the man sat besides the lost boy, Ono arrived noticing the conversation.

"Ah!. . .We have an adult as your guardian son. Good. . .My name is John Parker, and I represent. . ." Said just before Ono stopped him from talking. "Please Sir. . .We have some unfinished business here and as you can see, my friend is getting tired by the journey. How about I meet you in our shared room upstairs in an hour?"

The man accepted the invitation, leaving them alone while Ryoga started to pull the neck of his shirt. "Sensei. . .I-I feel funny. . ." His sweating began to look over his shirt and the look on his pale face told the doctor one of those sudden attacks were bound to happen.

"You are about to get sick again Ryoga-kun. . .Let's get you to the room I rented and we can deal with each problem one at the time." As they raised to leave, a fainting spell weakened Ryoga's knees, forcing the doctor to use his arm around his neck and carry him upstairs.

After the doctor left Ryoga soundly asleep, Ono inspected every precious gem, sorting and cleaning them as they were neatly kept on smaller packs. They were ready to leave town in a few days and after Dr. Tofu reported their work back home, a loud thud made him turn to see Ryoga gasping for air.

"Hold on!. . ." Said as he made his way to the next room in the hotel. The place was decent enough, leaving luxuries and riches aside and keeping small details like air conditioner or hot water as the highest of priorities. When he arrived besides the lost boy, the first thing he did was check his pulse. . .Fine so far.

Then, he made sure the boy was breathing. . .Nothing. No breath or slight movement on his chest, and the blue face Ryoga had didn't help one bit. Fortunately Ono is the best doctor there is. With some acupuncture points and his hands, he mapped the problem, exactly in. . .

"R-Ryoga. . .Either your lungs collapsed, "or" you don't have lungs." For a regular patient, the second diagnostic was impossible, even laughable. . .For Ryoga. . .Well, that was the downside of his travels through time.

Ono managed to regularize his desperation when, from his own pack, a plastic tube made the boy wonder what was going to happen. "This isn't as bad as you think Ryoga-kun. . .Normally is called pneumothorax or collapsing lung. It's rather common and I think your lungs vanished for just a second, sending the air in them to the chest walls."

The man carefully inserted the tubing between the ribs, into the space around the lungs. As he did that, the pressure from his chest and the blue hued skin returned back to normal, giving a chance to recover from the incident.

"Here. . .Let me help you sit on the bed and while you wait, I'll be on the other side waiting for our guests." Ryoga recalled a week ago, when some of the groups abolishing and capturing innocent teenagers for the diamond mining business weren't all mercenaries or paramilitary.

In fact, one of those men managed to contact Dr. Tofu since he was the oldest of the two, and those men thought he was in charge. "_Mr. Ono. . .We belong to one of the biggest industries in the excavation and treatment of diamonds, please give us a minute and I'm sure you won't regret it_."

A week later, they arrived to the town, bringing their own guards and security when the fame of a wealthy investor was always at risk. It was late in the afternoon when they walked into Ono, and Ryoga's apartment. Some would pick a handkerchief, cleaning the place like it was dirty while others simply sat unceremoniously, ready to do business.

"Mr. Ono Tofu, first allow me to congratulate you with the method you found to search hidden deposits of raw diamond, that my friend, has been so rough during the years and the rather ruthless company we suffer now days has hindered our efforts."

Their eloquence and manners were like those millionaires loved to display openly, but their eyes were the same. Ryoga peeked through an almost closed door how they searched more power and money regardless of what they already had.

When the teen walked in, announcing himself respectfully, some just ignored his presence while the main man in charge saw something in the boy. "You must be Mr. Ono's younger brother?" Ryoga nodded, pretending to be a relative and partner in this endeavor.

"Very well. I know you two have exchanged and worked over lengthy periods of time finding the most amazing gems I have laid my eyes on. What I'm wondering is. . .How?" The man edged on his chair, waiting patiently as he described the perils of prospecting in forsaken lands.

"First, the mercenaries are very jealous of their territories, but you've managed to find these treasures in places they wouldn't dream of. And second, the paramilitary groups controlling the market are very detailed in the equipment and resources investors use in the land.

"But you have neither. . .No permits from them and not machinery capable to dig into those depths and extract those beautiful gems." The men kept adorning with flowers and neon lights about the hardship of the job until the lost boy reacted a bit tired with so many words he couldn't understand.

"What do you want. . ." Asked firmly the fanged teen. The man saw the eagerness in him, setting his cards over the table so to speak and told him the deal. "We want to own those mines you two found Mr. Ono. . .We are prepared to give you three hundred and fifty million yen for each of the four you have and, I promise to offer you a continuous payment after the gems are cut and shaped."

Dr. Tofu moved away from the men, agreeing with a degree of secrecy about the cheap price they set on the mines after he consulted its rightful price with the appraiser in Nerima. When Ryoga accepted his counsel, Ono turned back at them, saying "Five hundred million each and we have a deal. . ."

The battle began. Not a fierce battle over life or death mind you, but the stakes were just as high for some, and the men used their keen eyes to pressure or haggle their way out. Ono and Ryoga had absolutely no idea why they were staring so intently at them, finding comical the situation and paying the men with the same coin.

Ono tried to laugh when Ryoga furrowed his brows, beaming a powerful Chi around his body which was easily felt by the men. "I-I see you are hard men to read." Finally gave in the main investor. "Very well. . .Five hundred each of the four mines, plus a certain commission after the gems are ready."

Ryoga knew this was a handshake between the older boy and the investors, deciding to walk back into his bedroom and wait for the group to leave. A few minutes later Ono arrived with the news. "Ryoga-kun. . .We are officially over both, Ranma and Nabiki's debt. . .Not to mention a bit over half a billion on the banks."

Ryoga released a sigh he held for the longest time, admitting everything was looking up in his life. "Good Sensei. . .Let's make some arrangements. . .It's time to go back home and tell that idiot his life has been resolved." The pair made their few backpacks, went to the nearest airport and took a plane to Tokyo, Japan.

As they flew, the teen had never been on one of these machines, keeping his claws constantly shredding the back of the front seat. "Calm down Ryoga-kun. . .This are very safe and we should be home soon. Relax and think on what will you do with all that money."

The teen had trouble relaxing at all, but his plans and goals were clear for some time now. "I-I don't really care for money Sensei. . .I have been thinking and I want you to forget about the clinic. I am going to build an even bigger hospital right there in Nerima and you will be in charge."

The doctor too was of humble origins and money wasn't really his strong goal in life, but the quality in Ryoga's wishes sure would help a lot of people. "That is a very nice idea Ryoga. . .Say. . .Have you thought about what name would be Ok for such magnificent hospital?"

Ryoga beamed when the answer was so obvious. "I want it to be named Akane Tendo Medical Research center." Said the boy as his hands flew into the air, extending from center and outwards when he said the title of the place.

Ono smiled with a furrowed brow, noticing he knew about this all along for some time now. "What else do you have in mind?" The lost boy went at it again, describing enormous arenas were trained pigs would compete or a vast ranch old west style where he could raise cows and horses.

"I don't know yet about that though. . .I must find out who will be able to love me enough to save me from dying." When he mentioned the future demise in less than a week and half, the older boy brought up the catalog they had worked as a side project.

"Now that you mention it Ryoga-kun, All the ingredients are shipped towards the Tendo Dojo. By the time we arrive, they should be home so Ranryu and I can start working on the curse's cures and Ranma's other problem."

Yes!. . .Everything went according to plan, thought the boy with a big smile on his face. Soon, he would marry Ranma with Akane, see them as a happy couple and who know, maybe he would marry with Akari or Anna before all this would be over.

The fanged teen's eyes turned into big hearts, loosing control of his imagination and flying in his own airplane just as the real one tilted rudely to the right. Immediately the boy gripped the seat, almost tearing it apart by his strength.

"Calm down Ryoga. . .It's just turbulence. . .Wait a few minutes and it will go away. . ." Just as he said it, the plane started to align itself, making the boy laugh dumbly, but stay aware of his surroundings by grasping the sides of his own seat all the rest of the way.

Ono just saw him and chuckled internally, admitting it looked really funny seeing him so scared and nervous. A few hours later the plane began to land on the local airport, giving a sensation of relief Ryoga never had felt before.

Still, the tension kept building up to this moment when the lost boy and Dr. Tofu boarded a taxi and drove off to the Tendo residence. Ono saw the teen intertwining his thumbs, showing an increased amount of nervousness as the taxi reached home.

"Ryoga. . .Are you Ok on doing this?" The boy had no speech at all, swallowing harshly and sweating profusely by the tension. "I. . .I. . ." But nothing else came out. Dr. Tofu paid the cab, set the three packs on the sidewalk and knocked on the exterior door, hopefully waiting for Kasumi to answer first.

And she did. The eldest daughter opened the gate, staring at a blushing Ono and a frozen Ryoga. "Um. . .Ono-kun. . .You're back already?" The boy bowed respectfully and then asked for a way to snap Ryoga from his trance.

The woman grabbed Ryoga's hand, gently pulling him into the house and towards the Dojo where it was empty at the moment. "Wait here and I'll call Ranryu-kun to help us." When the girl left, Ono and Ryoga waited not too long when the other traveling boy rushed into the hall interested to see his father.

"Pops!. . .What's wrong?" Asked to the doctor with a tinge of worry. "He is too tense from the journey Ranryu. . .But more importantly. He is scared stiff by Akari Unryu and Anna Brown's presence in the house."

"P-Pops. . .About that. . ." The sudden hesitation made the lost boy snap back into reality, wondering if Nabiki went along with the plan. "D-Don't tell me. . .They refused to come. . ." His son looked to the ground, taking a deep breath and explaining the situation.

"N-No. . .They were here, but you see. . ." Ranryu told him in a very calmed way that they left because his mom was thinking over their relationship. "What!" came the loudest question Ryoga could muster at the time.

His voice and the effect on the word was heard all over the place, forcing a pigtailed boy and a raven haired girl to rush into the hall alarmed by the tone. "Ryoga-kun. . .You're back!" Welcomed Akane happily, but the boy was completely focused on someone else. Ryoga blindingly forgot everyone, concentrating solely on the pigtailed boy who started to feel a bit under pressure.

"Why in the hell would you scare them away!?" he was pissed alright, and Ranma wasn't ready to explain the sacrifice he wanted to do for his sake. "Look Ryoga. . .We can talk 'bout this, but just you an' me Ok?. . . Let's go to my room an' we can. . ."

When Ranma tried to grab his arm, the lost boy slapped his hand away, walking backwards until his back hit the wall. "I thought we had everything planned!. . .I did my best to prepare all for the wedding between you and Akane-san."

"Why would you screw with me like this?. . .What am I going to do!. . .I only got less than ten days, and what about you Ranran. . .?" He immediately turned to see his boy who could cease to exist just like him. "Did you look for Ukyo like I asked you?" That part no one knew so far. Ranma and Akane stared at Ryoga's son forcing his blushing eyes down, but aware that they wanted an explanation.

"Sorry mom. . .But pops wanted me to conquest Ukyo as a way to save me from dying, but I couldn't. . .I already love "her". . ." Said as his finger pointed at the youngest Tendo. Ryoga's eyes grew in size, realizing how stupid he had been when his son and the raven haired girl had something in common even when Ranryu existed in the future.

That was the photo the boy hid when Ryoga visited him on his room. The last boy's eyes disappeared from the bangs over his face, leaving behind his angry fang as a testament of his betrayal. "It was her wasn't?. . .The girl you tried to search in the future was Akane-san." Ranryu blushed furiously, admitting his father understood his secret.

Still, the fanged boy couldn't believe it, denying what was in front of him and instead, looking for irrational explanations. "N-No. . .I brought you back so you could cure her, but she belongs to Ranma!" His aura began to flare, getting angrier at the boy he consider more than son. "I trusted you to keep them together. . .To help Ranma work his kinks and finally propose to her. Why would you do this?"

"Because he loves me Ryoga-kun." Declared truthfully Akane. "He has showed me real compassion and loyalty, not to mention how much he cares for me." Ryoga didn't calculate her response. Turning even against her by his hurt feelings.

"I did my best to show compassion and loyalty. . .I do care for you so much I would give my life in a moment. What's different?. . .Am I that hard to love?" This time his aura turned dark just in the way he powers for the ShiShi-Hokodan.

His hands trembled with a mixture of anger and depression, forcing the boy to look for a fair response elsewhere. That's when his eyes darted back at the pigtailed boy. He fought countless monsters and kings for the safety of his fiancée. . .Where was he when Ranryu enamored the youngest of the Tendos?

"And you!. . .What the hell Ranma?. . .You're supposed to fight for her. What the hell went wrong?" The pigtailed boy thought about that as well, admitting his son happened. . .His son and. . ."Y-You Ryoga. . .Y-You happened an' don' tell me you have no feelings for me, 'cuse I know you do."

That was it. . .The truth he took so long to let go of, coming by itself without any effort. "I. . .I . . ." Ryoga tried to deny it, but he couldn't. . .Those feelings were there and he saw the beautiful history as a couple they had in the future.

"I can't deny that Ranma. . .But I swore to make you and Akane happy and that's what I will do." The teens were at a stalemate, trying to figure out a way to solve all this when from the patio, Ukyo and Shampoo arrived to the Dojo.

"Ran-Chan!. .. I heard your engagement with Akane has dissolved. . .As your cute fiancée, I demand for you to marry me as promised by our fathers." As she said that, the Chinese girl advanced as well, glomping the boy with her exuberant body.

"Spatula girl wrong. . .Airen is mine. . .Amazon law demand husband marry Shampoo." Both girls started to fight among themselves, leaving Ryoga so confused and Ranma searching in his eyes for the answer, but unable to do anything about it. The lost boy wanted to fight for him. . .To accept that maybe they can have a shot, and after some pressure from the others stares, the fanged teen furrowed his brows, ready to claim his love for Ranma.

"R-Ranma. . .I. . ." The pigtailed boy smiled, knowing this was it. The moment they would become something more than friends. . .That is until someone else arrived into the hall. "Ryoga-kun!. . .I must truly confess before you. . ."

This time everyone turned to see Nabiki walking towards the lost boy and planting her lips on his. Ryoga was ecstatic, and lost in the sensation while Ranma felt that old betraying pang of jealousy deep in his heart. When she pulled away, her arms flailed all over his body like a snake, leaving him even more nervous by her closeness.

"Akane-Chan has a lover and Ranma "must" follow the law his parents arranged for him, don't you think Ryoga-kun?. . .I want to be at your side and save you from that end everyone talks so much about." Ryoga heard her words loud in his mind, understanding how Ranma had other proposals before anything could happen between the two.

"Y-Your right. . .Ranma still has two fiancée he needs to be accounted for. . .Let's go Nabiki." The lost boy threw a last glance at the pigtailed boy who was blindsided by Ukyo and Shampoo. "I'll see you later Ranma." Said the teen dryly before walking out of the Dojo with his new girlfriend and possible lover.

As they made their way out, an almost broken voice shouted at him. "Ryoga. . .Wait!" Ranma managed to get loose thanks to Akane and Ranryu holding the girls momentarily. He rushed outside, stopping two steps away from the lost boy and forcing his mind to talk out loud again.

"Ryoga. . .I. . ." But the other boy stopped him, closing those two steps and staying face to face with his old friend. "Tell me Ranma. . .Tell me you are willing to become a woman and admit another man will kiss you. . .A man who will love you and sooner or later that man may invite you to their bed. . .Admit you would let me love you for real and I will drop everything and worship you for the strong love I feel for you."

That was too much to ask, thought Ranma. Specially when he asked him on his male form which was so unreal already. The embarrassment and humiliation made him blush away, admitting no such thing and leaving Ryoga behind. "That's what I thought. . ."


End file.
